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Lesson 4 of 6
  • Year 9

Understanding arpeggios and Alberti bass

I can use triadic harmony to add arpeggios and an alberti bass to a ground bass pattern.

Lesson 4 of 6
New
New
  • Year 9

Understanding arpeggios and Alberti bass

I can use triadic harmony to add arpeggios and an alberti bass to a ground bass pattern.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Arpeggios and Alberti bass patterns are a variation on the triad chord.
  2. Arpeggios and Alberti bass patterns can be used to add interest to an existing chord sequence and ground bass.
  3. The Alberti bass has a distinctive, specific pattern.
  4. Playing arpeggios and an Alberti bass and added one or both to a ground bass pattern.

Keywords

  • Arpeggio - A group of notes from a chord played one after the other, either ascending or descending

  • Alberti bass - A group of notes rom a chord played in a specific pattern of lowest note, highest note, middle note, highest note

  • Octave - an interval of eight notes, e.g. a C and the next C (higher or lower) are an octave apart

Common misconception

An Alberti bass is the notes of the triad played in any order.

An Alberti bass has a specfic, distinctive pattern which uses the lowest note, highest note, middle note, highest note of the triad in that order.


To help you plan your year 9 music lesson on: Understanding arpeggios and Alberti bass, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Alberti bass and arpeggios are used to encourage development of ideas. Pupils can use other rhythms and patterns to extend their pattern but should be encouraged to use a consistent pattern for each chord. Pupils could also play the pattern in the right hand and the ground bass in the left.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Keyboard instrument

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a triad chord?

two notes played together
four notes played together
Correct answer: three notes built on the root, third, and fifth
one note repeated three times

Q2.
To create triadic harmony, we use the , third, and fifth notes of the scale.

Correct Answer: root

Q3.
What is another name for a broken chord?

triad
octave
minim
Correct answer: arpeggio

Q4.
A quaver lasts for how long in 4/4 time?

one beat
Correct answer: half a beat
two beats
four beats

Q5.
An interval of eight notes is called an ...

Correct Answer: octave

Q6.
What gives a piece of music rhythmic drive?

Correct answer: a constant rhythmic pattern
sudden pauses
irregular silences
slow tempo

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What is an arpeggio?

Correct answer: notes of a chord played one after the other, ascending or descending
three notes played together
two notes repeated
four chords played at once

Q2.
What is an Alberti bass?

a scale played in octaves
a chord played only in the right hand
Correct answer: a bass pattern: lowest–highest–middle–highest
a repeated dominant note

Q3.
Which of these best describes the Alberti bass pattern?

root – third – fifth – third
Correct answer: lowest – highest – middle – highest
highest – lowest – middle – lowest
root – fifth – root – third

Q4.
An interval of eight notes (e.g. C to the next C) is called an ...

Correct Answer: octave

Q5.
Why is it important in keyboard playing to move notes up or down the octave?

to confuse the listener
to make the piece quieter
Correct answer: to stop parts from overlapping and to create variety
to avoid using chords

Q6.
How do constant quavers in Alberti bass or arpeggios affect the music?

they make the music slower
Correct answer: they give rhythmic drive and momentum
they weaken the harmony
they remove texture