Arpeggiation breaks chord notes into a melodic sequence, creating motion within a static harmonic field

An arpeggio presents the notes of a chord in succession rather than simultaneously. The result is harmonic motion and melodic interest even when the underlying chord does not change. Non-chord tones (passing notes between chord tones, returning tones that touch a step above/below and return) enrich arpeggio patterns with melodic variety without disrupting the implied harmony. Unusual step counts (5-step, 7-step, 11-step patterns) create a wheels-within-wheels effect: because the pattern length does not align with the bar, different chord tones fall on strong beats each time, generating inner melodies.

Examples

5-step arpeggio of C major (C E G E C) over 4 beats creates a shifting accent pattern. 7-step pattern over a bar generates a polyrhythmic feel.

Assessment

Design an 8-step arpeggio pattern for Am7 using at least 2 passing notes. Explain what happens when a 5-step pattern is looped over a 4/4 bar for 4 bars.