Glass bells
A chord, then two clear notes ringing back and forth like glass bells. One of the ostinato patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your right hand over a C chord. You need E (thumb, 1), G (index finger, 2) and C (little finger, 5).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play G and C together on 1, then E on 1&, then G on 2, then E on 2&, then G on 3, then E on 3&, then G on 4, then E on 4&.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: B, D and G. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Glass bells on piano?
A chord, then two clear notes ringing back and forth like glass bells. A right-hand broken-chord figure repeated as a hook. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 8-3.
Is Glass bells 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 Glass bells?
My Way by Frank Sinatra and Jack's Lament by Danny Elfman use Glass bells. The songs on this page all use it in the right hand, the most played first.