Nathaniel School of Music

Two-Handed Melodic Piano Arpeggios Using the Andalusian Cadence (Part 2)

To play two-handed arpeggios over the Andalusian cadence (Dm–C–Bb–A, or i–bVII–bVI–V), split each chord's notes between both hands in one fixed position, play up through the chord and back, then add or remove notes to fit 4/4, 3/4, 5/8 or 7/8.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 9 min

Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube.

Key points

What this lesson teaches

In this second part of the Andalusian cadence series, Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music starts with a very simple arpeggio pattern shared between both hands, then uses it to explore phrasing and time signatures. It suits pianists who already know basic triads and want a flowing, expressive accompaniment that works in almost any metre.

The chords are the Andalusian cadence in D minor:

A helpful feature of this technique is that both hands stay in one position for each chord. There are no big jumps, runs or fills.

The basic pattern in 4/4

Going up

Play the first two notes of the chord, then continue with the remaining notes as an inversion higher up. For D minor that gives D F A D F. In practice, one hand plays the lower notes and the other hand completes the arpeggio above, so the line is shared between both hands.

Coming back down

Going only upwards is already a nice pattern. To fill a full bar of 4/4, add three more notes on the way down, making eight notes counted one and two and three and four and. There are a couple of ways to order these last three notes; you can choose what you like, or simply move in a straight line back from somewhere in the middle of the chord. For D minor, one version is D F A D F, then F A D.

While repeating the pattern, hold the top note under your little finger for as long as possible so the sound rings and stays connected.

Changing the time signature

The same idea adapts to almost any metre just by changing how many notes you play per chord.

Adding a melodic flavour

Once a metre feels steady, think of the arpeggio melodically rather than as plain chord tones. Jason Zac tries moving in thirds, and also plays the D minor arpeggio and then lets the figure finish on a non-chord tone, E, which gives a small melodic twist over the chord.

Developing this in 7/8, he ends up composing a two-handed riff with a cinematic, movie-theme character, including a short F G A figure and some staccato notes. The full notation for that riff is shared separately, so treat it as an example of where the technique can lead.

How to practise

  1. Learn each chord's upward five-note shape slowly, with both hands in one position.
  2. Add the three returning notes and loop the four chords in 4/4, counting aloud.
  3. Remove two notes for 3/4 and repeat the cycle.
  4. Try 5/8 using only the upward notes, then 7/8.
  5. Once the counting is secure, experiment with thirds or ending on a non-chord tone to make it melodic.

Questions about this lesson

What chords are in the Andalusian cadence in D minor?

D minor, C major, Bb major and A major, which are the i, bVII, bVI and V chords. You can play A7 (A C# E G) instead of A major for a dominant seventh sound.

How do I fit the arpeggio into 3/4 instead of 4/4?

Take the eight-note 4/4 pattern and remove two notes, so each chord gets six notes counted one and two and three and.

How do I play this pattern in 5/8 or 7/8?

For 5/8, simply play the five notes going up each chord. For 7/8, play the five notes up and add two notes on the way back before moving to the next chord.

Do my hands need to move around the keyboard?

No. For each chord both hands stay in one position, splitting the arpeggio between them, so there are no runs or big jumps.

Practise it

Related lessons