# Pianists: How does one do this? (linked video in OP) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 3, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446 "2017-12-03T14:21:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/1 "2017-12-03T14:21:53Z")
[Link](https://www.facebook.com/evanlemusic/videos/1618522748453171/) What I am referring to is the run (?) that begins at 1:49 of the video. OK, I assume he is merely playing the individual notes of a chord, progressing upward, octave after octave. But I think it is a bit more complex than just that. I am most baffled by the switching off of hands. I will try to explain in an extremely simplified example… Assume it is the C chord he is playing. Is he simply doing this?: (left hand) C-E-G (right hand) C-E-G (left hand) C-E-You get the idea. Or is there more to it than that? And is this technique called a ‘run’? Thanks! mmm ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/2 "2017-12-03T15:13:36Z")
Yes, it’s called an “arpeggio”, when you play the notes of the chord one at a time. It doesn’t usually work well with your run-of-the-mill major and minor chords, though; this one here sounds like a D9 or something like that (D-F#-A-C-E). As for how you pull it off; well, just like with everything else, practice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/3 "2017-12-03T15:39:07Z")
Oh, it works fine with run-of-the-mill chords. See Beethoven’s 3rd movement of the Moonlight Sonata. 🙂 But, yeah, he’s doing an arpeggio of F#-C-E over and over (which, as you correctly established, outlines the three most important notes of a D9 chord.) ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/4 "2017-12-03T15:54:09Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Oh, it works fine with run-of-the-mill chords. See Beethoven’s 3rd movement of the Moonlight Sonata. 🙂 True, true. I still think it doesn’t happen as often as other chords, though. And, what’s happening in the 3rd movement of MS is quite different than a cadenza like this kid played (and can be heard in just about every jazz song ever). Edited to clarify: I’m not saying arpeggios of major and minor chords don’t happen often (look at “Music Box Dancer” and the aforementioned MS for a good example of how good they can sound, OP); I’m saying for a full-out run, complete with accidental and fermata, you’re probably going to need something a little heavier from your toolbox). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/5 "2017-12-03T16:30:48Z")
Another fun arpeggio trick I learned back in the day was to just take your vanilla major chord, but approach it from the chord a half-step below it. So, if you have a G major, you come at it from the Gb. So you could play something like Gb-Bb-Db (left hand) G-B-D (right hand) up the keyboard, but more usually with inversions, so Gb-Bb-Db-G-B-D, Bb-Db-Gb-B-D-G, Db-Gb-Bb, D-G-B, etc., up the keyboard. Or, an even easier variant, is play the arpeggiated inversions in your right hand, but use your left for each chromatic leading note, so Gb-G-B-D, Bb-B-D-G, Db-D-G-B. Pretty easy even if you suck at arpeggios, but sounds kinda cool and flashy. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/6 "2017-12-03T16:46:45Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Assume it is the C chord he is playing. Is he simply doing this?: > > (left hand) C-E-G (right hand) C-E-G (left hand) C-E-You get the idea. > > Or is there more to it than that? Oh, sorry, missed fully addressing this. What he is doing is this: F#-C-E (left hand) F#-C-E (right hand, one octave up) F#-C-E (left hand, same octave that the right hand just played) F#-C-E (right hand, another octave up) F#-C-E (left hand same octave that the right hand just played) etc., finishing with an F#-C-E in the right hand at whatever octave he’s at at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/7 "2017-12-03T17:10:55Z")
It is, of course, possible to play the arpeggio with just one hand. The reason you use alternating hands is to play it faster and more smoothly. Also, it looks cool. And apparently it confuses the dilettantes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/8 "2017-12-03T17:24:35Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > It is, of course, possible to play the arpeggio with just one hand. The reason you use alternating hands is to play it faster and more smoothly. Also, it looks cool. And apparently it confuses the dilettantes. 😃 Yeah, it makes it a lot easier and looks a little showier. The classic arpeggio exercises were just going straight up the keyboard with one hand, requiring a reasonable amount of practice to get the octave transitions sounding smooth, especially if not using the damper pedal. Cascading the hands in this way gives each hand a whole three notes to get into position for the next broken chord, making it much, much easier. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/9 "2017-12-03T18:52:21Z")
You might find it interesting to slow the video with software like VLC. About using both hands, there’s a detail at 0:05 in [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIC9muS2Yuo) video that suprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/10 "2017-12-03T22:50:08Z")
Thanks, everyone. Guess I have some homework. Those arpeggios ain’t gonna play themselves! mmm ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/11 "2017-12-03T23:23:58Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > You might find it interesting to slow the video with software like VLC. > > About using both hands, there’s a detail at 0:05 in [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIC9muS2Yuo) video that suprised me. The uploader has not made this available in my country. Apparently. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/12 "2017-12-04T00:15:25Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > The uploader has not made this available in my country. Apparently. I’m assuming it’s [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjpSoEOUgKE). Tony Banks is just playing that fluttering keyboard riff with two hands. (It’s a bit rough, if not nearly impossible, to play that with one hand.) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/13 "2017-12-04T00:44:18Z")
One of my favourite pieces is C.P.E. Bach’s “Solfeggietto”… the two hands alternate with runs and arpeggios. Link: [https://youtu.be/9rDGc69FQcY](https://youtu.be/9rDGc69FQcY) Note that up stems are right hand and down stems are left regardless of which staff they are on. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/14 "2017-12-04T02:05:00Z")
For a more grandiose example of the arpeggios he’s playing in that video, listen to the opening piano notes of the First Movement of Beethoven’s 5th Piano Concerto. Same idea. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/15 "2017-12-04T08:47:47Z")
> [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > About using both hands, there’s a detail at 0:05 in [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIC9muS2Yuo) video that suprised me. > > > > The uploader has not made this available in my country. Apparently. > > I’m assuming it’s [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjpSoEOUgKE). Yes, that’s the video!!! How did you ever guess that, Pulykamell? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/16 "2017-12-04T16:21:52Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > Yes, that’s the video!!! How did you ever guess that, Pulykamell? It still gives the artist and title, even if it’s blocked in my country. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/17 "2017-12-04T18:59:29Z")
> [@K364](#): > > One of my favourite pieces is C.P.E. Bach’s “Solfeggietto” I’m not a serious pianist by any stretch (I’m much more serious about singing), but I’ve been practicing/playing that piece off and on for the past 25 years. I managed to memorize a few bars at one point, but I’ve never been able to play it all the way through – let alone at tempo. Somehow, I’d never heard a recording of it until three years ago: I watched Elizabeth Joy Roe perform it on PBS’s _[Jazz & The Philharmonic](http://www.pbs.org/program/jazz-and-philharmonic/)_, and said to my dog, “Holy shit! \*That’s \*how fast it’s supposed to be played?!? :eek:” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/18 "2017-12-04T21:13:34Z")
As a slight tangent, you can’t beat Chopin Etudes for impressive and relentless arpeggios [Op 10 No 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E82wwNc7r8) and [Op 10 No 8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIy8eC0bZMM) are two of my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pianists-how-does-one-do-this-linked-video-in-op/803446/19 "2017-12-04T21:36:50Z")
You want relentless arpeggios? I got your relentless arpeggios [right here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-StHeHGyakY). 🙂