Rolling waves
Rolls up to the high third and back down, like a wave on the shore. One of the left-hand arpeggio patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your left hand over a C chord. You need C (little finger, 5), G (index finger, 2) and E (thumb, 1).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play C on 1, then G on 1&, then E on 2, then G on 2&, then C on 3, then G on 3&, then E on 4, then G on 4&.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: G, D and B. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Rolling waves on piano?
Rolls up to the high third and back down, like a wave on the shore. An arpeggio spanning a 10th: the classic ballad left hand. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-10-5.
Is Rolling waves 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 Rolling waves?
Habanera (From Carmen) by Georges Bizet, Your Song by Elton John and Yesterday Once More by Carpenters use Rolling waves. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.