Boogie climb
Each note played twice as the line climbs: a rocking boogie bass. One of the broken chord patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your left hand over a C chord. You need C (little finger, 5), E♭ (ring finger, 4), E (middle finger, 3), G (index finger, 2) and A (thumb, 1).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play C on 1 and 1&, then E♭ on 2, then E on 2&, then G on 3 and 3&, then A on 4, then G on 4&.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: G, B♭, B, D and E. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Boogie climb on piano?
Each note played twice as the line climbs: a rocking boogie bass. Chord tones one at a time, within an octave. Musicians call it broken chord 1-1-3-3-5-5-6-5.
Is Boogie climb hard to play?
It is an intermediate pattern. Learn it with your left hand alone at 60% speed first, then play it over a chord loop.
Which songs use Boogie climb?
The South's Gonna Do It by Charlie Daniels Band, Your Mama Don't Dance by Loggins And Messina and Danny's All-star Joint by Rickie Lee Jones use Boogie climb. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.