Alberti bass is a type of accompaniment pattern commonly used in classical music, where the notes of a chord are played in a broken or arpeggiated fashion, usually in the order of lowest, highest, middle, highest.
Imagine you have a plate with different types of food - first you take a bite of the main dish, then some salad, and finally a taste of dessert. Similarly, Alberti bass breaks up the chord into individual notes that are played one after another.
Walking bass: A bass line that moves stepwise and creates a sense of forward motion.
Arpeggio: Playing the notes of a chord individually instead of simultaneously.
Accompaniment: Musical parts that support or complement the main melody.
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.