Boom-chick-boom
Bass, chord, then a second bass note: a country waltz in three. One of the stride and oom-pah patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your left hand over a C chord. You need low G (little finger, 5), C (middle finger, 3), E (index finger, 2) and high G (thumb, 1).
Count and play
Count 1, 2, 3. Play C on 1, then E and high G together on 2, then low G on 3.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: low D, G, B and high D. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Boom-chick-boom on piano?
Bass, chord, then a second bass note: a country waltz in three. A bass note, then a chord. It is stride when the leap spans an octave or more. Musicians call it boom-chick (3/4).
Is Boom-chick-boom hard to play?
It is a beginner pattern. Play it with your left hand alone at 60% speed until it feels steady, then add the other hand.
Which songs use Boom-chick-boom?
Epilogue by Justin Hurwitz and And So It Goes by Billy Joel use Boom-chick-boom. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.