Arpeggios

Can someone explain what arpeggios are for me and how they help in making solos?

my explanation of them:

arpeggios are taking the notes of a chord(A minor for example) and playing them separately in any given pattern. They help with solos in the sense that they are melodic in their appeal to the underlying progression.

Don't know if that's correct, but it's how I've always thought of arpeggios.

Here are a few lessons I posted on Arpeggios.

Arpeggios

Scales and Arpeggios Practice

And so you can practice on this - you can use this site's Arpeggio application here: Clicky here :)

usually when people use arpeggios in solos its in a sweep context but you can do other stuff with them aswell

... you could do what paul gilbert does .. .he breaks them up and put them together differently