I've got a pretty stupid question

tjw

Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Messages
117
Reaction score
73
but I don't know the answer..... what does an arpeggiator do (I mean, other than create arpeggios).... is it useful for composition, arranging, live-playing, all 3 ?

What input is required, and how is that input given, I mean, chord upon which the arpeggio is based, etc....
 
Joined
Jun 28, 2014
Messages
1,955
Reaction score
1,911
Location
Adelaide, Australia
An arpeggiator allows you to play one note or chord and creates a pattern that is repeated. It’s like the love child of sequencer and a looping pedal.

It’s very useful indeed.

Input is given by programming in the desired pattern. When you want to play it you simply hold down the relevant note or notes.
 
Joined
Sep 6, 2017
Messages
5,717
Reaction score
3,088
Location
Lancashire, UK.
An exercise for you, take a popular chord like G7 whose notes are G B D F.

Now play the chord, playing all 4 notes.

Now play each of the notes in any order you want.

Now play each of the notes in a different order

Now you can arpeggiate your chords.

A three note major chord is the Root the Third and the Fifth so in G that is G B D, you can also arpeggiate to include say the Second, Fourth and Sixth, so try these variations in the above variations.

Arpeggiated chords are the Bread and Butter for a Bassist, the building blocks up to vastly more advanced techniques.
 

Rayblewit

Love Music / Love Life
Joined
Nov 18, 2015
Messages
2,946
Reaction score
2,247
Location
Melbourne Australia
Pretty stupid question eh?
The only thing stupid about this thread is the stupid title you gave it @tjw lol.

I think arpeggio's are an essential and integral aspect of music.
I see them in music sheets and play them constantly. They have a smooth blend and accentuate a song immensly. Many of The Beatles tunes are played as Col explains it . . 2nd, 4th, 6th etc...
I did read this in a beginners book years ago so tried to understand it.

Arpeggiators (build into keyboards) on the other hand confuse me. Misunderstood.

Not a stupid question.
It is a complicated and confusing subject and I am glad you asked.

Thanks for asking and great responses too from Gary, Col and Paul.

Ray . . Always learning!
 

tjw

Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Messages
117
Reaction score
73
So, let me see.....

Every hair I lost over the years, had at least 3 brain cells attached at the follicle end. I would have still had some, except I drank them away :)

So the arpeggiator is given the notes comprising the chord desired, and perhaps a beginning and ending note, and the duration of the notes ?
 

SeaGtGruff

I meant to play that note!
Moderator
Joined
Jun 6, 2014
Messages
4,108
Reaction score
1,734
Different arpeggiators might have different potentials depending on how they're programmed, and the arpeggiator feature on a specific keyboard might have different ways that it can work depending on how it's programmed.

If you already have a keyboard that has an arpeggiator feature, and if it has a number of preset arpeggios available, you might want to go through (play) each of the preset arpeggios, trying it while holding down one key, then two keys, three keys, etc., to see what each pattern sounds like and how it responds to differing numbers of keys.

Something else you might want to try is playing with the tempo setting of your keyboard as you're playing the arpeggios, because this will affect how quickly or slowly the arpeggio plays.
 
Joined
Sep 6, 2017
Messages
5,717
Reaction score
3,088
Location
Lancashire, UK.
My brain hurts, and it is to early on a Monday morning.

Just had a look through the manual of my Korg Kross 2 where there are 10 pages written in Klingon in using the various Arpeggiator settings.

As it is I just press the Arp button and it works but if I do not like the pattern I go into the menu and change the pattern before saving the Combi so I have the ARP pattern the next time I select the Combi.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
13,996
Messages
86,240
Members
13,100
Latest member
Su_uh Innocent Nelson

Latest Threads

Top