piano arpeggios

There are two different kinds of curvy lines in music notation – ties and slurs. Both look very similar on the page, but they do very different things – knowing how to recognize which is which is essential for avoiding confusion when practicing.  Fortunately, there are some very clear distinctions between how ties and slurs appear in music notation. Ties Ties connect notes to other notes to create longer note values. They are the only way to combine note values across barlines, and are valuable for offering a broader range of rhythmic combinations in general.   Slurs A slur is … Read more

Arpeggios are some of the most common musical figures played at the piano. They are frequently used to give shape and movement to the harmonies in many styles of piano music. Knowing how to play scales, chords, and arpeggios is the core of a pianist’s basic technical skills. What are Arpeggios? “Arpa” is the Italian word for “harp,” and the word arpeggio is derived from the Italian term, “arpeggiare,” which means, “to play on a harp.” As with the harp, the piano is an instrument of many notes that are playable by individual fingers. Playing these notes in the configuration … Read more