Arpeggio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In music, an arpeggio is a broken chord where the notes are played or sung in succession rather than simultaneously. The word, like many other musical terms, originates from Italian, in which it means "in the manner of the harp." Any instrument may employ arpeggiation, but the following instruments use arpeggios most often:

• String instruments are used to play arpeggios in classical music. Along with scales, arpeggios are a form of basic technical exercise.
• Bass guitarists often use arpeggios to play out chords.
• Guitarists use arpeggios extensively in certain genres, such as Neo-classical, and often while employing the sweep-picking technique.
• Synthesizers are often called upon to play arpeggios, especially in electronica. Some synths contain arpeggiators especially for this purpose.
• Keyboards, such as piano and accordions are used to play arpeggios.

In early computer music, arpeggios were often the only way to play a chord since sound hardware usually had a very limited number of oscillators. 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.

[edit] Media

[edit] See also

• Music theory
• Musical terminology
• Arpeggiatorde:Arpeggio

es:Arpegio fr:Arpège (musique) is:Brotinn hljómur it:Abbellimento#Arpeggio he:ארפג'ו ka:არპეჯო mk:Арпеџо nl:Arpeggio ja:アルペッジョ no:Arpeggio pl:Arpeggio pt:Arpejo ru:Арпеджио simple:Arpeggio sl:Glasbeno izrazoslovje sr:Arpeggiato fi:Arpeggio sv:Arpeggio uk:Арпеджіо zh:琶音