Arpeggio Question

[Fox]

Well, I'm looking through the requirements for flute by the ABRSM and they have scale and arpeggio requirements.

I THOUGHT I understood arpeggios but the more research I do the more confused I'm making myself.

So, I understand arpeggios are chords that are played note by note. My first question comes when I get to the requirements for level 3 which says A minor (a twelfth). I have no idea what "a twelfth" means, and looking through my music theory books and online hasn't helped.

That led me to scales in thirds, fourths, fifths ... now I'm not sure what is meant by this. I thought it meant that you play a note and then go up a third or fourth and then play the next note up and then go up a third. If this is right then I get confused with sevenths and eighths.

I started looking for information on that and think I got it figure out, but that led me to diminished and dominant chords. I understand what dim. and dom. chords are, so I am assuming that it's just playing those chords arpeggiated.

When I came across broken arpeggios that's when I gave up and am now seeking help. Please help explain all this to me as I think I've totally lost myself.

[Phineas]

Well, I'm looking through the requirements for flute by the ABRSM and they have scale and arpeggio requirements.

I THOUGHT I understood arpeggios but the more research I do the more confused I'm making myself.

So, I understand arpeggios are chords that are played note by note. My first question comes when I get to the requirements for level 3 which says A minor (a twelfth). I have no idea what "a twelfth" means, and looking through my music theory books and online hasn't helped.

That led me to scales in thirds, fourths, fifths ... now I'm not sure what is meant by this. I thought it meant that you play a note and then go up a third or fourth and then play the next note up and then go up a third. If this is right then I get confused with sevenths and eighths.

I started looking for information on that and think I got it figure out, but that led me to diminished and dominant chords. I understand what dim. and dom. chords are, so I am assuming that it's just playing those chords arpeggiated.

When I came across broken arpeggios that's when I gave up and am now seeking help. Please help explain all this to me as I think I've totally lost myself.

First off, it sounds like you need to understand intervals and chords.

http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/the ... ervals.htm

Arpeggios are simply broken up chords. If the chord is CMaj(C-E-G), play C-E-G is the arpeggio. There are several ways to practice arps. The best way is diatonically. In the key of C like this

http://www.8notes.com/school/theory/diatonic_triads.asp

C-E-G, D-F-A, E-G-B, F-A-C Etc.... Since I play jazz/fusion, I do my arps like this C-E-G-B, D-F-A-C, etc....

The complication comes with understanding chord theory. When you play arps diatonically, you are playing a combination of different chords.

I Maj - 1-3-5
II Minor - 1-b3-5
III Minor - 1-b3-5
IV Major - 1-3-5
V Major - 1-3-5
VI Minor - 1-b3-5
VII Diminished - 1-b3-b5

I put numbers next to the as a formula next to each one to present the interval from the root note of the chord. Example

1-3-5 = C-E-G
1-b3-5 = C-Eb-G
1-b3-b5 = C-Eb-Gb

Now that that is clear as mud, every note in a scale has a number The number are odd number from 1 to 13 Generally, but still represent an interval from the root note.

1, 2/9, 3, 4/11, 5, 6/13, 7 (C-D-E-F-G-A-B)
C - 1st or 8th
D - 2nd or 9th
E - 3rd or 10th
F - 4th or 11th
G - 5th or 12th
A - 6th or 13th
B - 7th or 14th

Remember, number represents the interval from the root note in the chord. If some one says the twelfth, they are talking about G in the key of C get it? Since I am not in the classical realm that much, I have never EVER seen a 12th called out on a chart, so that is kind of new to me, even though it does exist.

When you start getting into more complex chords, the numbering system tells you the formula of the chord,

Cmaj7 - 1-3-5-7 - C-E-G-B
Cmin7 - 1-b3-5-b7 - C-Eb-G-Bb
C7 - 1-3-5-b7 - C-E-G-Bb
Cmaj9 - 1-3-5-7-9 -C-E-G-B-D
C11 - 1-3-5-b7-9-11 -C-E-G-Bb-G-D-F
C13 - 1-3-5-b7-9-(11)-13 - C-E-G-Bb-D-(F)-A *The note F is not suppose to be in a C13 chord, but I like the way it sounds :p
CSus7 - 1-4-5-b7 - C-F-G-Bb

This works and can be adapted to all scales and keys. Just remember intervals are based off the relative major scale of the root Example

Emaj7 1-3-5-7 - E-G#-B-D#
Emin7 - 1-b3-5-b7 - E-G-B-D

I could go on and on, but I hope this helps. There are tones of resources online that go into this, so I would suggest getting on it!

I hope this helps

Phineas

[Fox]

Thanks Phineas,
This is a lot of useful information. I've been reviewing everything you said and it all makes sense. I do have a couple questions:
As you said when someone mentions a twelfth they are speaking about the interval. So, in C major they are talking about G. So if I'm going to play C major scale to twelfth would I go up to G and stop or would I continue on to the second octave G?

[Phineas]

Fox

Looks like you got it!

You would play the second octave G (The 12th Interval)

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-(G) or the 12th

Phineas

[Fox]

Thanks Phineas!!