Nathaniel School of Music

Two-Hand Piano Arpeggios That Sound Beautiful (Melody on Top)

To make piano arpeggios sound creative, play them in both hands using speed ratios such as 2:4 or 3:6, give each hand a different note order, alternate the hands in syncopated grooves, and shape a melody by moving the top note of the pattern with your last two fingers.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 15 min

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Key points

This lesson by Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music shows creative ways to use arpeggios across both hands. It is aimed at pianists who already know what an arpeggio is and want it to sound less like an exercise and more like music. The ideas lean intermediate, but they are simple enough for a keen beginner to start on slowly.

An arpeggio is just a chord with its notes taken apart and played in some sequence. The lesson uses a G minor chord (G Bb D) throughout, but every idea works on any chord. Arpeggios are everywhere: shredding in rock, flowing ballad accompaniments in 6/8 or 4/4, and the arpeggiators built into keyboards and software. Here the focus is on using them to build your own sense of timing, arrange songs more uniquely and bring out a melody.

Part 1: Ratio exercises for self-timing

Jason calls these ratio exercises. They train what he calls self-timing: keeping a steady groove on your own, without leaning on a metronome. This matters a lot once you play in a band, where everyone is responsible for holding their own time.

  1. Same pattern, same speed. Play an arpeggio pattern in the right hand, then copy it exactly in the left hand. It sounds fuller, but both hands are doing the same thing.
  2. Double the speed in one hand. Keep the left hand at the original speed and let the right hand play the same pattern twice as fast. Try it over a set chord progression.
  3. Swap the roles. Let the left hand play double while the right hand plays single.
  4. Try other ratios. Work with 2:4 and 4:2, then move into multiples of three, such as three notes in one hand against six in the other. If you are adventurous, try polyrhythmic combinations.

Different patterns in each hand

The hands do not need to play the same note order. For example, start the right-hand arpeggio from the top note of the chord while the left hand starts from the bottom note. Then add the speed variations on top of that. This also works well in odd time signatures, such as a count of seven. Expect it to feel awkward at first; it takes practice before the hands run independently.

Part 2: Syncopated arpeggios

The keyboard can behave like a percussion instrument. Just as drummers and percussionists combine both hands into interesting grooves, you can split an arpeggio between the hands in a right, left, right, left rhythm. Using the same G minor chord, the notes still add harmony and even a hint of melody, but the alternating hands create the groove. Jason simply calls these syncopated arpeggios.

Take it further by changing the split: for instance, one note in the right hand followed by two in the left hand, repeated as a cycle. You can also move the right hand higher on the keyboard to open up the sound.

Part 3: Creating melodies from arpeggios

When an arpeggio is played slowly enough, the pattern itself often produces a pleasant melody almost by chance. To make it more interesting:

This last style is useful when you have to cover the rhythm section of a song and bring out the melody line at the same time.

How to practise

Start with one chord, such as G minor, and one ratio at a time. Master the 1:1 version, then double one hand, then swap. Only after that, change the note order between hands. For the melody technique, keep the arpeggio steady first and then begin moving only the top note. Finally, try applying these ideas to your own songs and arrangements.

Questions about this lesson

What are ratio exercises for piano arpeggios?

They are exercises where both hands play an arpeggio at different speed relationships, such as one hand at single speed and the other at double speed, or ratios like 2:4, 4:2 and 3:6. They help you keep steady time on your own.

Do both hands have to play the same arpeggio pattern?

No. You can give each hand a different note order, for example starting the right hand from the top note of the chord and the left hand from the bottom note. It takes practice but adds a lot of interest.

How do I play a melody while playing arpeggios?

Keep the arpeggio pattern going and use your last two fingers to move the top note up and down, so the highest notes form a melody. You can also adjust or add notes to shape the line.

What is a syncopated arpeggio?

It is an arpeggio split between the hands in an alternating right, left rhythm, like a percussionist using both hands. You can vary it, for instance one note in the right hand and two in the left.

Practise it

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