Rockabilly wiggle
Root, a skip down, a step down and back up: a rockabilly shake. One of the broken chord patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your left hand over a C chord. You need G (little finger, 5), A (ring finger, 4) and C (thumb, 1).
Count and play
Count 1, 2, 3, 4. Play C on 1, then A on 2, then G on 3, then A on 4.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: D, E and G. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Rockabilly wiggle on piano?
Root, a skip down, a step down and back up: a rockabilly shake. Chord tones one at a time, within an octave. Musicians call it broken chord 8-6-5-6.
Is Rockabilly wiggle 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 Rockabilly wiggle?
Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry, Does Your Mother Know by ABBA and Loves Me Like A Rock by Paul Simon use Rockabilly wiggle. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.