How to get better at arpeggios on piano

Have you ever wondered how to truly master arpeggios on the piano? In this video, you will discover techniques to help you improve this challenging aspect of piano playing. As Chopin once observed, technical challenges on the piano can be broken down into categories, and arpeggios, which involve playing notes farther apart within an octave, present a unique set of difficulties.

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When we play scales, the main challenge is often the thumb under or finger over motion. With arpeggios, this challenge becomes even greater because we also have to cover much wider distances between notes. This is why the first thing I suggest practicing is the flexibility of your thumb, your first finger. It is a short finger, and it needs to stretch to reach the next notes effectively.

I share here a specific exercise to build this flexibility, just watch the video.

You might have heard discussions about whether the thumb passage is even necessary in arpeggios, as it can seem like a tricky movement that might slow you down. A more modern technical approach suggests a simpler alternative: shifting the entire hand quickly and discretely to create continuity, without relying on the finger passing. This is particularly useful in very fast arpeggios where there simply is not enough time for the fingers to go under or over and fully connect every note. In those situations, practicing shifting your hand position as a whole is crucial. I call this technique "preparing the jump," where you get your thumb ready on top of the next note a fraction of a second before you need to play it.

However, if the passage is not extremely fast and the composer intends a legato connection between notes, then you will indeed need to pass your fingers properly. Even if a passage is fast and you do not technically have time to connect all the notes, training your thumb to pass more fluidly actually makes arpeggios sound smoother and feel easier. It is as if the thumb takes part in the movement your hand is already making, making everything more natural and efficient. Practicing thumb flexibility helps regardless of whether you are playing slow or fast arpeggios.

Another thing that will significantly help your arpeggios, regardless of tempo, is activating each finger while keeping your hand relaxed. Think of the arpeggio like a wide step scale. You support yourself on one finger at a time, letting the rest of your hand relax as that finger plays. When you play a note, your hand can be somewhat closed, and then as you play the next note, you relax your hand and let it close again. The goal is not to keep your hand in a fixed shape, but to keep it slightly closed and relaxed as you play, always searching for ease while each finger does its job. This approach trains your hand to instinctively loosen up between notes, which makes a huge difference.

Finally, a crucial tip: your thumb is responsible for almost all the physical tension when playing arpeggios. When you practice, really exaggerate the articulation of your other fingers to activate them, but keep your thumb relaxed and soft. Let it drop naturally, as if opening your hand to play, and avoid lifting it too much. Your thumb should move like it is just opening your hand, while the other fingers are the ones articulating and reaching for the notes. The thumb simply releases itself. Paying attention to this not only improves your sound but also helps prevent injuries.

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