Piano Improvisation Techniques: Creating The Arpeggio
Ah… the arpeggio. A miracle of cascading notes that produces a beautiful sound on the piano. To most it’s a mystery how it’s created. But to those who understand chords, it’s just a matter of practicing until the pattern is mastered.
Now, the arpeggio can be used either in the right or left hand (or both together) but it’s usually the left-hand that takes up this amazing technique. Let’s look at how one might use an extended arpeggio pattern to create an improvisation.
The first thing you need to know about most left-hand arpeggios is that they usually start below the middle of the keyboard. Most pianists begin their run below middle C and there’s a good reason for this - bass
...riding the rails, Steinway set off on a permanent career in hoboism. Despite the urgings of his contemporaries, he point-blank refused to learn a more portable instrument and obstinately carried his piano around the American South West well into his ...
Those thunderous resonant bass sounds that reverberate in the body are hit and the piano comes alive!
Now, you have to be careful here because if you hit too many bass notes together the effect can end up sounding "muddy." That is, you won’t be able to differentiate the notes and you’ll end up having sonic sludge. But, if you spread out the first few notes this won’t happen. That’s why the open position chord is perfect to begin your left-hand arpeggio. For example, let’s say you want to play a C Major 9 arpeggio.
Of course, you’ll begin with the C note (which is also the root note.) Now, we could play the third (e) but if we do, chances are
...to more thoroughly enjoy his piano lessons. Parents can contribute to their child's feels of satisfaction about her progress by encouraging her at every opportunity. Applaud her initiative in practicing, attend her recitals, and - if you've ever had the ...
What I like to do is play a pattern that looks like this: 1-5-8-9-3 - which means I’m playing these notes: c-g-c-d-e. This pattern produces a beautiful "new age" sound and is used frequently in New Age piano playing.
For example, look at the lesson "Coming Home." Here we play an extended arpeggio in the left hand and use over 2 octaves of the keyboard. It’s quite an exercise and is a good one to get your left hand moving!
Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping
...there.Truthfully though, music instruction has, for the most part ,dissuaded many from attempting anything like this. Most people think you have to have some extraordinary talent to improvise music. This belief has stopped many from experiencing the joy of improvisation. ...