An arpeggio takes the notes of a chord and plays them in succession. Instead of pressing C, E and G together, play C, then E, then G. Return through E to C for a small rising and falling pattern. You hear the same harmony stretched into a line, which can become an accompaniment or a short melodic gesture.
The guided exercise starts with C4 E4 G4 E4 C4, then changes to A3 C4 E4 C4 A3. The first shape is C major and the second is A minor. Press Start exercise and follow the highlighted note. The keyboard waits for you; pauses between the groups are fine. Finger numbers in this lesson refer to your right hand on an actual piano, not to computer-keyboard letters.
Begin with a shape you can reach
Find the C major chord. Try thumb on C4, middle finger on E4 and little finger on G4: fingers 1, 3 and 5. Rest near the keys before playing, then use 1 3 5 3 1 for the five-note pattern. This is a suggested fingering for this short exercise, not a universal fingering for every arpeggio.
Keep the motion small and comfortable. If the span is awkward, learn the pitches individually first and reposition between them. Do not force your hand to hold a stretch. The browser can confirm the sequence of notes; it cannot see your hand or judge whether your movement is healthy or efficient.
Let one note lead to the next
Practice without sustain to begin with. Release C as E starts, and E as G starts. Listen for a connected sequence rather than three notes accumulating into a held chord. Then reverse the direction without rushing the top note. A short pause before repeating is useful while you locate the starting C again.
Once the pitches are familiar, use the metronome at a comfortable pace and aim for one note per click. The lesson's completion check does not measure this spacing, so listen to your own result. If you repeatedly arrive late at one note, practice only that two-note move before trying the whole pattern again.
Move the same idea to A minor
After the C pattern, move the hand left to A3 C4 E4. Your thumb is now on A below middle C, your middle finger on C4 and your little finger on E4. Play A C E C A with the same suggested 1 3 5 3 1 fingering.
Although both shapes use white keys, they have different internal spacing. A to C is a minor third; C to E is a major third. In C major, the major third comes first. The chord intervals lesson makes that comparison directly. Listen to the whole shape rather than assuming that the same fingers always imply the same chord quality.
A scale visits more notes
Compare C E G with the C major scale: C D E F G A B C. The scale visits each degree; the arpeggio picks out the chord tones. A longer C major arpeggio can continue to the next C and then E and G again, but that wider movement needs a different fingering plan. This first exercise deliberately stays within a fifth in each position.
Use the pattern as accompaniment
Choose two chords you already know, such as C and A minor. Play the short pattern on each, leaving time to move your hand. Next, find F A C for F major and G B D for G major. You can use the chord finder to check those notes before playing them separately.
Finally, open the chord progressions lesson to practice connecting harmonies. Hear the complete chord sequence in the progression generator, then try a broken-note pattern on your own keyboard. Hearing a chord together and playing its tones separately give you two ways to understand the same harmony.
Play a short C major arpeggio
- Find C4, E4 and G4: the notes of C major.
- On a real piano, try right-hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 on those notes, without forcing a stretch.
- Play C E G E C one note at a time, releasing each note as the next begins.
- Pause, move to A3 C4 E4 and repeat the same pattern for A minor.
Frequently asked questions
What is an arpeggio on piano?
The notes of a chord played successively rather than all together, often traveling upward or downward. This exercise uses three-note shapes, without a thumb crossing or a full octave span.
How is an arpeggio different from a scale?
A C major scale uses C D E F G A B C. A C major arpeggio uses chord tones C E G, repeating them in other octaves for a longer run. It skips the scale tones that are not in that chord.
Should I use the sustain pedal?
Start without it so you can hear each note and its release. Later, pedal can join the sound, but release it when needed to avoid carrying notes from one harmony into the next.