Waltz stride
A deep bass, a chord above, then the octave: a leaping waltz. One of the stride and oom-pah patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your left hand over a C chord. You need low C (little finger, 5), G (little finger, 5), high C (thumb, 1) and E (thumb, 1).
Count and play
Count 1, 2, 3. Play low C on 1, then G and E together on 2, then high C on 3.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: low G, D, high G and B. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Waltz stride on piano?
A deep bass, a chord above, then the octave: a leaping waltz. A bass note, then a chord. It is stride when the leap spans an octave or more. Musicians call it stride (3/4).
Is Waltz stride 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 Waltz stride?
What A Day That Will Be by Jim Hill and A Taste Of Honey by The Beatles use Waltz stride. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.