Arpeggio practice routine suggestions?

[maxim3]

Some time ago I conquered my fear of learning to play arpeggios, and now I slowly practice some every day (majors and minors). I now feel it is within my grasp to learn (slowly) all the usual arpeggios and broken chords given in standard-type piano manuals. You know, major, minor, the 7ths, augmented, diminished, plus maybe major and minor 6ths.

But there are so many of them, plus inversions etc. Can anyone offer a convenient plan or routine? Maybe something that could be divided up over a two (probably better three) day schedule?

Or should I just play nothing but arpeggios all day for 30 days and learn them once and for all? *shudder* (Probably not a good idea.)

[brogers70]

Personally I do not think it necessary to do every possible common chord and inversion. The goal, for me, was just to get smooth, even arpeggios. Once I was able to do that, doing an arpeggio in a piece which is not in root position or which is not a standard chord is not very hard. I don't think you need to try to have done every possible configuration just on the chance that it may show up in a piece.

So I just start on F# major and work round the circle of fifths in major and minor doing root position chords in octaves hands together. Takes about five minutes. You don't even really need all the keys, since many chords have identical configurations for the fingers (e.g. E major, A major and D major). When I was starting to work on them I often worked hands separate so I could listen carefully for evenness of timing and volume. Doing the arps in sixteenths or quintuplets (for seventh chords if you do them), rather than triplets, helps insure that you learn to control the sound of each finger properly (because you aren't, for example, using your thumb on every downbeat).

[compline]

Some time ago I conquered my fear of learning to play arpeggios, and now I slowly practice some every day (majors and minors). I now feel it is within my grasp to learn (slowly) all the usual arpeggios and broken chords given in standard-type piano manuals. You know, major, minor, the 7ths, augmented, diminished, plus maybe major and minor 6ths.

But there are so many of them, plus inversions etc. Can anyone offer a convenient plan or routine? Maybe something that could be divided up over a two (probably better three) day schedule?

Or should I just play nothing but arpeggios all day for 30 days and learn them once and for all? *shudder* (Probably not a good idea.)

Are you following a course Maxim,  do you have a tutor who can advise you better? 
I don't mean you shouldn't ask here, but having  a tutor  gets to know your personality and   and better assess  how much you are capable of practice and when to push you  for greater challenges, etc. 

.

[sucom]

When I was first learning scales and arpeggios I followed the ABRSM exam route which gradually adds keys with more sharps or flats for each grade, so Grade 1 was C, G, D and F majors plus A, D and E minor and so on.  Later on, once I knew them all, I either went around the circle of 5ths or went up through each one starting with C, then Db, followed by D etc up to B.

This method worked fine for me and stopped me from feeling overwhelmed with them all.  As you work through them in this order, they actually become easier as progress.  For instance, Ab and Db majors are easier to learn once you have practised Bb and Eb.

[maxim3]

Let me try to be brief --

Unfortunately a tutor or teacher is not possible for me at this time. That's why I'm bugging everyone here = )

I get the broad message of your comments. I simply must fight my neurotic urge to 'LEARN IT ALL RIGHT NOW OR NEVER AT ALL.'

But it's a hard urge to fight, because at this point I actually CAN locate and play VERY slowly, all the common 3 and 4 arpeggios, plus their inversions, in every key.

Nonetheless I will do my best to keep your words in mind. By the way I am SURELY making progress, I just played one of the Bach Anna Magdalena pieces at a nice tempo,  with repeats, with only three minor slips in the whole thing. I've never done that before in my life!

[sucom]

Hi Maxim

I applaud you on your efforts to make a go of your piano practice and am sorry that you are unable to have a teacher to help you on your way.

Quote: "I get the broad message of your comments. I simply must fight my neurotic urge to 'LEARN IT ALL RIGHT NOW OR NEVER AT ALL.':

Absolutely!  I think we all have that problem to one degree or another about something in life.  You're not alone! 

But remember, it's not the goal that is important.  The most important thing by far is the actual journey towards that goal, not the goal itself. What you learn on the way is what is so invaluable.  Give yourself time to enjoy your journey because I have always found that as soon as you reach one horizon, you suddenly see another to reach out to in the distance. 

[pianoplunker]

Some time ago I conquered my fear of learning to play arpeggios, and now I slowly practice some every day (majors and minors). I now feel it is within my grasp to learn (slowly) all the usual arpeggios and broken chords given in standard-type piano manuals. You know, major, minor, the 7ths, augmented, diminished, plus maybe major and minor 6ths.

But there are so many of them, plus inversions etc. Can anyone offer a convenient plan or routine? Maybe something that could be divided up over a two (probably better three) day schedule?

Or should I just play nothing but arpeggios all day for 30 days and learn them once and for all? *shudder* (Probably not a good idea.)

I think the most convenient and efficient way is to work on music that has arpeggio passages. and for me, understanding the chord progression and modulations helps more than trying to figure out the best way to exercise something I will never use anyhow.