Chords & Arpeggios

A chord is multiple notes played together. Chords can be used to create an arpeggio. The basic chord is made up of three notes called a triad. You use notes 1, 3, and 5 of the given scale. I made a post about the intervals for each note. The intervals you use for triads are the same with major and minor scales.

For example, in D major

D E F# G A B C# D
1  2  3  4  5  6  7   1

Your triad is D F# A






Arpeggios are built the same way using intervals 1, 3, and 5. Although, you play chords and arpeggios differently. As the notes in a chord are played simultaneously, the notes for arpeggios are played individually.
Listed below are all the arpeggios for the major scales.

Chord:         Arpeggio:
   C               C, E, G
   G               G, B, D
   D               D, F#, A
   A               A, C#, E
   E                E, G#, B
   B                B, D#, F#
  F#               F#, A#, C#
  C#              C#, E#, G#
             
   F                F, A, C
   Bb             Bb, D, F
   Eb             Eb, G, Bb
   Ab             Ab, C, Eb
   Db             Db, F, Ab
   Gb             Gb, Bb, Db
   Cb             Cb, Eb, Gb