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Chords & Harmony

Broken Chord

Definition

A broken chord is a chord whose notes are played separately instead of all at once, in any order or pattern. Arpeggios, Alberti bass and many guitar picking patterns are kinds of broken chord.

A broken chord is a chord whose notes are played separately instead of all at once. The notes can go straight up or down, as in an arpeggio, or follow a pattern that jumps around inside the chord. Either way your ear still hears one harmony, spread out in time.

Three short treble-staff panels in 4/4. Block: a whole-note chord C4 E4 G4. Up and down: quarter notes C4 E4 G4 E4. Alberti: eighth notes C4 G4 E4 G4 C4 G4 E4 G4.
The same C major chord as a block chord, broken up and down (C–E–G–E), and broken in the Alberti pattern (C–G–E–G).

Common patterns

  • Up and down: C–E–G–E. The simplest pattern, and a good first left-hand accompaniment.
  • Alberti bass: C–G–E–G, lowest, highest, middle, highest. A hallmark of Classical-era keyboard music; see Alberti bass.
  • Root and fifth: C–G or C–G–C, the backbone of many bass lines and waltz accompaniments.
  • Wide spreads: patterns like C–G–C–E that reach beyond an octave, for a fuller, flowing sound in ballads and Romantic piano music.

Why composers break chords

A piano or guitar note starts to fade as soon as it is played. Breaking a chord keeps the sound moving, fills the time between melody notes, and gives a piece rhythm and drive without changing the harmony. It also lightens the texture: a broken chord in the left hand leaves room for the melody to sing on top.

Grand staff in 4/4, three bars. Right hand: E5 G5 F5 E5; half notes D5 and G4; whole note C5. Left hand eighth notes: C3 E3 G3 E3 twice; B2 D3 G3 D3 twice; C3 E3 G3 E3 and a half note C3. Chord symbols C, G/B, C.
The left hand breaks each chord into eighth notes: C–E–G–E, then B–D–G–D (G/B), then C–E–G–E before a final low C.

Broken, block or rolled?

A block chord sounds all its notes together. A rolled chord (arpeggiando) spreads them very quickly from the bottom up, almost together. A broken chord gives each note its own place in the rhythm.

Block & Broken Chords compares the two side by side, and Accompaniment patterns gives you more left-hand patterns to try. Guitarists get the same effect by fingerpicking the strings of a chord one at a time.

Common questions

Is a broken chord the same as an arpeggio?

An arpeggio is one kind of broken chord: the notes played in order, up or down. "Broken chord" also covers patterns that change direction, like the Alberti bass.

What is the opposite of a broken chord?

A block chord, in which every note of the chord is played at the same moment.

Practice it: free worksheets