Circling light
Three notes circle round and round in a soft, glowing loop. One of the ostinato patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your right hand over a C chord. You need G (thumb, 1), C (middle finger, 3) and E (little finger, 5).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play E on 1, then G on 2, then C on 2&, then E on 3&, then G on 4, then C on 4&.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: D, G and B. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Circling light on piano?
Three notes circle round and round in a soft, glowing loop. A right-hand broken-chord figure repeated as a hook. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 10-5-8.
Is Circling light hard to play?
It is an intermediate pattern. Learn it with your right hand alone at 60% speed first, then play it over a chord loop.
Which songs use Circling light?
Follow Me by John Denver, Endless Love by Lionel Richie & Diana Ross and My Sweet Lady by John Denver use Circling light. The songs on this page all use it in the right hand, the most played first.