Arpeggios
Same notes as a chord, spread out one at a time across the keyboard — arpeggios turn harmony into a flowing line, and a great technical workout along the way.
What is an arpeggio?
An arpeggio takes a chord's notes and plays them one after another, in order, going up or down the keyboard — rather than all at once as a block chord. Play a C major triad's notes (C, E, G) one at a time and you've played a C major arpeggio.
Spanning more than an octave
Arpeggios usually don't stop after one octave — they keep climbing, repeating the same chord tones in the next octave up (or down). Because no single hand position can reach across two-plus octaves, the hand has to shift position mid-pattern, almost always using the same thumb-under motion you'd use in a scale.
Octave 1
Octave 2
Common questions
What is an arpeggio on piano?
A chord's notes played one at a time, in order, up or down the keyboard, instead of all together.
How is a piano arpeggio different from a broken chord?
"Arpeggio" usually implies a longer run across more than one octave; "broken chord" covers any non-simultaneous ordering.
Why do piano arpeggios need hand-position shifts?
Repeating a chord across two-plus octaves has more notes than one hand span can reach, so the hand shifts using thumb-under technique.
What are arpeggios used for musically?
They outline harmony melodically, appear constantly in accompaniment patterns, and build finger evenness and hand-shift confidence.
Build arpeggio technique in every key
Melody Monkey walks you through arpeggio fingering with instant audio and visual feedback.
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