Broken chords on piano are chords played one note at a time, instead of all together, so the notes are spread out, in a pattern, and the chord is heard as a sequence, not as a block. A broken C major chord is C, E, G, played one at a time, and the pattern can go up, down, or up and down, and it makes the piano sound flowing and lyrical.
What are broken chords on piano?
Broken chords on piano are chords played one note at a time, instead of all together, so the notes are spread out, in a pattern, and the chord is heard as a sequence, not as a block. A broken C major chord is C, E, G, played one at a time, and the pattern can go up, down, or up and down, and it makes the piano sound flowing and lyrical, because the notes flow, one after another, instead of hitting together, and the music is a melody, made from the chord. Broken chords are used for accompaniment, and for melody, because they let the piano play the harmony, without the chords being blocky, and the music flows, with the notes in a pattern, and the pattern can be simple, C, E, G, or complex, with the notes in different octaves, and the pattern can be repeated, as an accompaniment, while the other hand plays the melody. The broken chord is the chord, broken into its notes, and played in order, and the order is the pattern, and the pattern is the music. The C major piano chord and the G major piano chord are the chords most players first break, and the piano note finder shows the notes of any chord.
How broken chords on piano work
A broken chord works by playing the notes of a chord, one at a time, in a pattern, so the chord is heard as a sequence, and the harmony is spread out, over time, instead of being played all at once. The pattern can be ascending, C, E, G, going up, or descending, G, E, C, going down, or up and down, C, E, G, E, going up and then down, and the pattern can be repeated, as an accompaniment, with the left hand playing the broken chord, while the right hand plays the melody, and the music is full, with the harmony and the melody, together. The broken chord is different from an arpeggio, although they are similar: a broken chord is the notes of a chord, played one at a time, in a pattern, usually within one octave, while an arpeggio is the notes of a chord, played one at a time, across octaves, with the fingering, and the arpeggio is longer, and faster, and the broken chord is shorter, and simpler, and the two are used for different purposes, the broken chord for accompaniment, and the arpeggio for technique, and for fast runs. The D major piano chord and the A major piano chord are the chords the broken chords are built on.
Worked example — breaking a C major chord. Play a C major chord as a block, with the right hand, fingers 1, 3, and 5, on C, E, and G, pressing the keys down together, and the notes ring together, C, E, G, and the chord is a block, played all at once. Now break it: play C, with the thumb, then E, with the middle finger, then G, with the pinky, one at a time, in order, and the notes are C, E, G, played as a sequence, and the chord is broken, and the music flows, instead of hitting, and the pattern is ascending, going up. Now play the pattern up and down, C, E, G, E, and the notes go up and then down, and the pattern is the accompaniment, and the chord is C major, broken, and the key of C major lists the chords the broken chords are built on.
How to practise broken chords on piano
Practise broken chords by playing one chord, broken, in a pattern, until the notes flow, and the pattern is smooth, and then by changing chords, with the broken pattern, so the accompaniment flows.
- Play a C major chord as a block, and then break it, playing C, E, G, one at a time, ascending, and listening for the notes to flow, one after another.
- Play the broken chord up and down, C, E, G, E, and listen for the pattern to be smooth, and the notes to be even, in time.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with broken chords, in the left hand, while the right hand plays the melody, and listen for the accompaniment to flow.
- Practise the broken chords with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the pattern is clean at the current tempo.
- Use the piano note finder to check the notes of any broken chord, and name each note as you play it, so the notes are learned with the pattern.
Common mistakes
- Playing the notes unevenly — A broken chord should be even, in time, with each note the same length, and a player who plays the notes unevenly will make the pattern sound lumpy, and the music will not flow. Practise with a metronome, and play each note evenly, on the beat, and the pattern will be smooth.
- Rushing the pattern — A broken chord played too fast, too soon, will have mistakes, because the fingers are not ready, and the notes will be wrong, and the pattern will be confused. Practise slowly, until the pattern is clean, and then increase the speed, with the metronome.
- Forgetting the chord — A broken chord is the notes of a chord, and a player who forgets the chord will play the wrong notes, and the harmony will be wrong. Know the chord, C, E, G, for C major, and play the notes of the chord, in order, and the broken chord will be right.
Quick reference
This table shows the three common broken chord patterns, with the notes for a C major chord and the direction for each one, so you can see the patterns side by side and practise them one at a time. The ascending pattern goes up, the descending pattern goes down, and the up-and-down pattern goes up and then down, and the pattern is the music.
| Pattern | Notes (C major) | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Ascending | C – E – G | Up |
| Descending | G – E – C | Down |
| Up and down | C – E – G – E | Up, then down |
Use the table to practise the broken chord patterns: play each one, with the right hand, and then with the left hand, and listen for the notes to flow, evenly, in time, and the pattern to be smooth. When you can play all three patterns, you can play any broken chord, in any pattern, and the piano will sound flowing and lyrical.
Frequently asked questions
What are broken chords on piano?
Broken chords on piano are chords played one note at a time, instead of all together, so the notes are spread out, in a pattern, and the chord is heard as a sequence, not as a block. A broken C major chord is C, E, G, played one at a time.
What is the difference between a broken chord and an arpeggio?
A broken chord is the notes of a chord, played one at a time, in a pattern, usually within one octave, while an arpeggio is the notes of a chord, played one at a time, across octaves, with the fingering, and the arpeggio is longer, and faster.
What patterns can I use for broken chords?
Ascending, C, E, G, going up, descending, G, E, C, going down, or up and down, C, E, G, E, going up and then down, and the pattern can be repeated, as an accompaniment, while the other hand plays the melody.
Why use broken chords instead of block chords?
Because broken chords make the piano sound flowing and lyrical, instead of blocky, and they let the piano play the harmony, without the chords hitting together, and the music flows, with the notes in a pattern.
Can I play broken chords with both hands?
Yes. The left hand can play a broken chord, as an accompaniment, while the right hand plays the melody, or the right hand can play a broken chord, while the left hand plays the bass, and the two hands together make the music full.