Boogie walker
A walking line that climbs and falls through the chord. One of the boogie-woogie 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), G (middle finger, 3), A (index finger, 2) and B (thumb, 1).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play C on 1, then G on 1&, then B on 2, then G on 2&, then A on 3, then G on 3&, then E 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, D, E and F♯. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Boogie walker on piano?
A walking line that climbs and falls through the chord. Rock’n’roll and blues 5-6 shuffle and boogie lines. Musicians call it boogie-woogie line.
Is Boogie walker 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 walker?
The Man Who Sold The World by Nirvana, Three Little Birds by Bob Marley and Mess Around by Ray Charles use Boogie walker. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.