Piano Arpeggios That Flow: Add Triplets and Sixteenths for Instant Groove
To make a piano arpeggio groove, divide each beat into four sixteenths or three triplets, leave out selected subdivisions (such as the 'e' for a gallop or the middle triplet for a swing) and then combine two of these rhythmic patterns over the same chords.
Key points
What this lesson teaches
In this lesson Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music shows how to build what he calls pattern arpeggios, which are arpeggios shaped by rhythmic devices rather than by new notes. The harmony stays the same. Only the way the beat is divided, and which divisions you play, changes. It suits pianists who can already play a basic arpeggio and want something that sounds less predictable.
The chord progression
The lesson uses four chords that work as a Dorian-flavoured, epic rock-sounding progression:
- E minor: E G B
- G major: G B D
- D major: D F# A
- A major: A C# E
The usual way to arpeggiate chords like these is a familiar shape such as low-middle-high-middle, starting from the bottom or the top. That works, but almost everyone plays it. The goal here is to escape that sameness through rhythm.
Dividing the beat by four (sixteenths)
Count each beat in four: 1 e and a, 2 e and a, 3 e and a, 4 e and a. If you play an arpeggio note on every sub-beat, you get a constant stream that sounds common and a little machine-like. The trick is to decide where to play and where not to play.
The gallop
Leave out the e of each beat, so you play 1 (e) and a. The result is a galloping rhythm, like a horse in a medieval film. Keep that motif going across all four chords.
Leaving out the one
Another option is to skip the first sixteenth of the beat and play only e and a. This leaves the beat itself to the left hand, so the two hands complement each other. It also gives the music more room to breathe than the non-stop version.
Combining patterns
A single pattern can sound interesting on its own, but combining patterns breaks the monotony further:
- Play the gallop, then the normal all-sixteenths pattern, or the other way round.
- Play the skip-the-one pattern, then the full pattern.
- Pair two unusual patterns, such as the skip-the-one shape with the gallop.
A phrase that starts with something unusual tends to sound unusual overall, even when the next part is the common pattern.
Dividing the beat by three (triplets)
Now count each beat in three: 1 and a, 2 and a, and so on. First play a straight triplet arpeggio over the progression. It sounds nice, but it is also a common sound.
- Swing: leave out the middle triplet and play 1 (and) a.
- One and
Questions about this lesson
Practise it
- Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
Related lessons
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- 10 Rhythm Patterns That Make Chord Inversions EasyTo make chord inversions musical, play the root position, first inversion and second inversion of a triad such as Bb major or C major through real rhythm patterns like block chords, oom-pah, waltz, broken chords, arpeggios, the tresillo, the Charleston, dual-speed arpeggios and floating inversions.
- 10 Types of Cadences Explained: Theory, Ear Training and PianoA cadence is a short chord progression of two to four chords, such as V–I (authentic), IV–I (plagal), V–vi (deceptive) or i–bVII–bVI–V (Andalusian), used to end, extend or redirect a musical phrase.
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