Rocket sweep
Climbs two octaves in two big leaps, soaring like a rocket. 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), C (fingers 1 and 5), high G (index finger, 2) and high C (thumb, 1).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play low C on 1, then low G on 1&, then C on 2 and 3, then high G on 3&, then high C on 4.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: low G, low D, G, high D and high G. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Rocket sweep on piano?
Climbs two octaves in two big leaps, soaring like a rocket. A two-octave arpeggio, Romantic and film-score style. Musicians call it wide arpeggio 1-5-8-8-12-15.
Is Rocket sweep hard to play?
It is one of the advanced patterns. Take it slowly, one bar at a time at 60% speed, before you play it over a chord loop.
Which songs use Rocket sweep?
River Flows In You by Wayne Hawkins, A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh and Christmas Song by Dave Matthews Band use Rocket sweep. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.