View source for Arpeggio

{{short description|Notes in a chord played in sequence}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
[[File:Bach Arpeggio from Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.png|thumb|A series of arpeggios in J. S. Bach's ''[[Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring]]'' [[File:Bach Arpeggio.mid]]]]
[[File:The Star-Spangled Banner arpeggio.png|thumb|"[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" opens with an arpeggio.<ref>Kamien, Roger (2008). ''Music: An Appreciation'', p. 43. McGraw Hill. {{ISBN|978-0-07-340134-8}}</ref>[[File:The Star-Spangled Banner arpeggio.mid]]]]
[[File:Beethoven piano sonata 14 mvmt 1 bar 1-4.svg|thumb|upright=2|Arpeggios open Beethoven's ''[[Moonlight Sonata]]'' and continue as accompaniment[[File:Beethoven piano sonata 14 mvmt 1 bar 1-4.mid]]]]

An '''arpeggio''' ({{IPA|it|arˈpeddʒo|lang}}) is a type of [[Chord (music)|chord]] in which the [[Musical note|note]]s that compose a chord are individually sounded in a progressive rising or descending order. Arpeggios on [[keyboard instrument]]s may be called '''rolled chords'''. 

Arpeggios may include all notes of a [[musical scale|scale]] or a partial set of notes from a scale, but must contain notes of at least three [[Pitch (music)|pitches]] (two-pitch sequences are known as [[Trill (music)|trills]]). Arpeggios may sound notes within a single [[octave]] or span multiple octaves, and the notes may be sustained and overlap or be heard separately. An arpeggio for the chord of C major going up two [[octave]]s would be the notes (C, E, G, C, E, G, C). 

In [[musical notation]], a very rapid arpeggiated chord may be written with a wavy vertical line in front of the chord. Typically these are read as to be played from the lowest to highest note, though composers may specify a high to low sequence by adding an arrow pointing down.

<score sound="1" override_midi="Arpeggiated chord on G.mid">
{
\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\relative c'' { 
  \clef treble 
  \time 4/4 
  <g b d>1\arpeggio
} }
</score>

Arpeggios enable composers writing for [[Polyphony and monophony in instruments|monophonic instruments]] that play one note at a time (such as the [[trumpet]]) to voice chords and [[chord progression]]s in musical pieces. Arpeggios are also used to help create [[rhythm]]ic interest, or as melodic [[ornament (music)|ornamentation]] in the [[Lead instrument|lead]] or [[accompaniment]].

Though the notes of an arpeggio are not sounded simultaneously, listeners may effectively hear the sequence of notes as forming a chord if played in quick succession. When an arpeggio also contains [[passing tone]]s that are not part of the chord, certain [[music theory|music theorists]] may analyze the same musical excerpt differently.

The word ''arpeggio'' comes from the Italian word ''arpeggiare'', which means ''to play on a [[harp]]''. Despite its Italian origins, its plural usage is usually ''arpeggios'' rather than ''arpeggi''.

== Uses ==
{{Listen|type=music
| filename    = Arpeggio.ogg
| title       = Sound sample with arpeggios
| description = A synthesized flute-like instrument and a harp playing various chords in arpeggio, joined later by strings playing the same notes simultaneously.
| filename2 = Maniac.wav
| title2 = 8-bit sample with arpeggios
| description2 = A song made in the style of 8-bit music that uses high-pitched arpeggios. Arpeggios were frequently used in 8-bit music because the sound cards of the time had limited channels and they were all monophonic. This made chords impractical.
}}
[[File:ARPIE Arpeggiator 7852.jpg|right|thumb|A hardware [[MIDI]] arpeggiator]]

Any instrument may employ arpeggiation, but arpeggios are more commonly used on instruments which serve the role of melodic lead or [[Ornament (music)|ornamentation]]. Arpeggios may be used as an alternative to continuous [[portamento]] for instruments which are not able to achieve that, or which have limitations in achieving portamento over multiple notes of a scale, such as [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[fret]]ted instruments, and [[Polyphony and monophony in instruments|monophonic instruments]] like the [[flute]]. 

Arpeggios are commonly used in many [[genre (music)|music genres]] and are particularly highlighted in genres with significant focus on melody and ornamentation, such as [[flamenco]] and [[Neoclassicism (music)|neo-classical]]. Arpeggios are an important part of [[jazz improvisation]]. On guitar, [[sweep-picking]] is a technique used for rapid arpeggiation, which is most often found in [[rock music]] and [[heavy metal music]].

Along with [[musical scale|scales]], arpeggios are a form of basic technical exercise that students use to develop intonation and technique. They can also be used in call and response ear training dictations, either alone or in conjunction with harmony dictations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Combine arpeggio and harmony ear training |url=https://reelear.com/combine-arpeggio-harmony-ear-traning/ |website=reelear.com |date=July 2021 |publisher=Reel Ear}}</ref>

Some [[synthesizers]] contain ''[[arpeggiator]]s'', which are step sequencers designed to facilitate the playing of arpeggios, as well as non-arpeggiated sequences also. 

In early [[video game music]], arpeggios were often the only way to play a chord since sound hardware usually had a very limited number of oscillators, or [[melody|voices]]. Instead of tying them all up to play one chord, one channel could be used to play an arpeggio, leaving the rest for drums, bass, or sound effects. A prominent example was the music of games and [[Demoscene|demos]] on [[Commodore 64]]'s [[MOS Technology SID|SID]] chip, which only had three oscillators (see also [[Chiptune]]). This technique was highly popular amongst European video game music composers for systems in the 1980s like the [[NES]], with many transferring their knowledge from their days of composing with the Commodore 64.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.nesdev.com/w/index.php/Arpeggio|title=Arpeggio – Nesdev wiki|website=wiki.nesdev.com|access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Bass arpeggiation]]
* [[Non-harmonic arpeggio]]
* [[Ostinato]]
* [[Style brisé]]
* [[Tremolo]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book|title=Guitar arpeggio dictionary: A library of over 2000 arpeggios, Including a diagram projector and viewing screen, Showing 25 types of arpeggios|first1=Chuck|last1=Wayne|authorlink1=Chuck Wayne|first2=Ralph|last2=Patt|authorlink2=Ralph Patt|publisher=H. Adler|year=1965|pages=1–51|ref=none}}

== External links ==
{{Wiktionary|arpeggio}}
* [https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/guitar-arpeggios/ "Guitar Arpeggios for Beginners"] by Dirk Laukens, jazzguitar.be

{{Chords}}
{{Guitar picking}}
{{Violin family}}

[[Category:Harmony]]
[[Category:Melody]]
[[Category:Guitar performance techniques]]
[[Category:Ornamentation]]
[[Category:Italian words and phrases]]

[[it:Abbellimento#Arpeggio]]