14.3: Arpeggiated Accompaniments

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14.3 Arpeggiated Accompaniments

14.3.1 Arpeggios

One way to express chords rhythmically is through arpeggios in one part and a bass line in octaves in a lower part, as in the following example from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Ludwig van Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, Op. 27, No. 2, I (1802)

The next example has descending arpeggios.

Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Alicia Keys, “If I Ain't Got You” (2004)

Notice that in both the Beethoven and Alicia Keys examples there is the harmonious interval of a tenth (an octave plus a third) between the bass (lowest) voice and the soprano (highest) voice. The following examples have arpeggios that ascend and descend through a chord.

Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): James Pankow, “Colour My World” (1970)

Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\): Fred Ball, Joseph Angel, and Robyn Fenty, “Love on the Brain” (2016)

Notice in the above example that there is also an organ playing block chords to create a sense of legato in the texture. The next two examples are from more recent popular music.

Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\): Adele Adkins and Dan Wilson, “Someone Like You” (2011)

Figure \(\PageIndex{6}\): Ryan Tedder, “Secrets” (2009)

Below is an example in 44 with arpeggios in sixteenth notes.

Figure \(\PageIndex{7}\): Kevin Briggs, Kandi Burress, Tameka Cottle, Lisa Lopes, “No Scrubs” (1999)

14.3.2 Alberti Bass

Alberti bass accompaniment patterns involve arpeggios that do not arpeggiate chords in a simple upward or downward motion, but in a “low–high–middle–high” pattern as you can see in the examples below.

Figure \(\PageIndex{8}\): Mozart, Piano Sonata K. 545, I (1788)

The next example uses the same Alberti pattern as in the Mozart example above, but transposed to E minor and in a lower register.

Figure \(\PageIndex{9}\): Brian Carman and Bob Spickard, “Pipeline” (1962)