Sunrise
Three notes keep climbing in quick loops, bright like the morning sun. One of the right-hand arpeggio patterns.
How to play it
Find the notes
Put your right hand over a C chord. You need C (thumb, 1), E (middle finger, 3) and G (little finger, 5).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play C on 1, then E on 1&, then G on 2, then C on 2&, then E on 3, then G on 3&, then C 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: G, B and D. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Sunrise on piano?
Three notes keep climbing in quick loops, bright like the morning sun. A right-hand arpeggio rising through the chord. Musicians call it rising arpeggio 1-3-5.
Is Sunrise 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 Sunrise?
Operator by Jim Croce, Live And Die by The Avett Brothers and There Is A Reason by Alison Krauss use Sunrise. The songs on this page all use it in the right hand, the most played first.