Rising tide
Five notes roll up wide and high, then hold: a tide coming in. One of the left-hand arpeggio patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your left hand over a C chord. You need low C (little finger, 5), low G (index finger, 2), high C (thumb, 1), E (middle finger, 3) and high G (index finger, 2).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play low C on 1, then low G on 1&, then high C on 2, then E on 2&, then high G on 3 and hold it.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: low G, low D, high 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 Rising tide on piano?
Five notes roll up wide and high, then hold: a tide coming in. An arpeggio spanning a 10th: the classic ballad left hand. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-12.
Is Rising tide 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 Rising tide?
Once Upon Another Time by Sara Bareilles, If I Only Had The Words by Billy Joel and Immanuel by Michael Card use Rising tide. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.