Broken Chord
Pronunciation: BROE-kin kord
What is a Broken Chord?
A broken chord is a chord whose notes are played into a pattern or series of notes. The notes can either be played in an ascending or descending order.
Key Takeaways
- A broken chord is a chord that is broken apart and played into separate notes.
- It is sometimes used interchangeably with arpeggio but the difference between the two is the over-ringing that occurs with a broken chord.
- Broken chords are useful for learning and recognizing the individual notes in a chord.
Understanding a Broken Chord
A broken chord is sometimes used interchangeably with an arpeggio. Arpeggio is a kind of broken chord which is a musical technique where notes are played in a sequence, one after the other.
However, it is important to note that while an arpeggio is played without over-ringing, a broken chord lets the notes of the chord ring together.
Broken chords are mostly used in mellow, slow, and rhythm guitar work, and is a classic way of learning and practicing keyboard chords.
Related Terms
Chromatic A chromatic scale is a 12-pitch scale, each being a semi note or half-step, which are above or below the last note. more
Arpeggio Arpeggio is a musical theory also known as a broken chord. more