Hailstones
The top note rattles in very quick bursts, like hail on a window. 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), A (index finger, 2) and C (ring finger, 4).
Count and play
Count "1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a" (say "and" for &). Play C on 1, 1&, 1a, 2, 2e, 2&, 2a and 3, then G on 3&, 3a, 4 and 4&, then A on 4a.
Move it with the chords
When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: D, E and G. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Hailstones on piano?
The top note rattles in very quick bursts, like hail on a window. A right-hand broken-chord figure repeated as a hook. Musicians call it repeated octave.
Is Hailstones 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 Hailstones?
99 Red Balloons by Nena and We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus use Hailstones. The songs on this page all use it in the right hand, the most played first.