Pirate-ship sway
Bass, chord, bass, chord in a lilting long-short swing. One of the left-hand chord patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your left hand over a C chord. You need low C (little finger, 5), G (fingers 5 and 1), B (little finger, 5), high C (index finger, 2) and F (index finger, 2).
Count and play
Count the eighth notes: 1 2 3 4 5 6. Play low C on 1, then G and high C together on 3, then G on 4, then B and F together on 6.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: low G, D, F♯, high G and C. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Pirate-ship sway on piano?
Bass, chord, bass, chord in a lilting long-short swing. Left-hand chords or power fifths in rhythm. Musicians call it lh chords (6/8).
Is Pirate-ship sway 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 Pirate-ship sway?
The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy uses Pirate-ship sway. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.