Part Two: Intros with Arpeggios

Not familiar with broken chords? The definition for piano arpeggios can be found here answers.com

 In music, an arpeggio is Italian for broken chord where the notes are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously. This word comes from the Italian word "arpeggiare" , which means "to play on a harp". These are formed from scales, the arpeggio is based on the relative scale playing the "key" notes or those affected by the key signature.

 This arpeggio passage progresses from G to G7, Am, D7, G, Em, and D7 before resolving to G in the following melody. (The first D7 could be F#dim.)
It is one of the easiest for beginning pianists to learn, because beginning with the F of the G7 broken chord each group of six notes simply begins on the next lowest note in the scale.

* Arpeggios


1. Straight hand-over-hand arpeggios.

This method works best with chords of four notes or less.


2. Split arpeggios.


This works best with the more complicated five-note chords.
Left hand plays root. Hold sustain pedal. Right and left hands play remaining notes of the chord
hand-over-hand in a repeating arpeggio.


* Here are some examples:


G9 = Low G (l.h. and pedal) + Bm7(b5) arpeggio B D F A (right and left hand-over-hand).


G7b9 = Low G (l.h. w/pedal) + Bdim7 arpeggio B D F Ab  (right and left hand-over-hand).


Sometimes inverting chords leads to a more comfortable fingering. Here's a more practical way of playing the above example:


G7b9 = Low G (l.h. w/pedal) + Bdim7 arpeggio D F Ab B (right and left hand-over-hand).


Use this pattern with any variation of the dominant chord. Try these in a few other keys.

Related Resources:

Walking bass lines with arpeggios

Piano practice with arpeggios

Piano Hand Coordination

Let me know how your piano practice with arpeggios progresses. Broken chords can be played as an intro to set up a song or definitely close out a song. Yes it's true, synthesizers have their own built in arpeggiators! lol

Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you enjoy your stay at LadyD Piano.