Alberti bass is best described as which of the following?

• A. A fast scale passage in the right hand
• B. Accompanying bass figures consisting of broken chords, generally in the pattern low-high-middle-high
• C. A two-note tremolo
• D. A unison pedal point

Answer: (B)

Alberti bass is a left-hand accompaniment pattern that gives harmony by breaking chords into a repeating four-note figure. The usual order is low note, then a higher note, then the middle note, then the higher note again, forming the continuous low–high–middle–high pattern. This keeps the left hand active while providing a steady harmonic foundation for the right hand’s melody. You’ll hear it frequently in Classical-era piano music, and it’s named after Domenico Alberti, who popularized this arpeggiated accompaniment. The other descriptions describe different textures—fast scale passages in the right hand are scalar runs, a two-note tremolo is rapid alternation between two notes, and a unison pedal point involves sustaining a single pitch while harmony changes. So, the description that matches Alberti bass is the broken-chord accompaniment in the low-high-middle-high order.