Swinging bell
A ringing chord, then two low notes swinging back and forth. One of the ostinato 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 and G together on 1, then E on 1&, then C on 2, then E on 2&, then C on 3, then E 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 Swinging bell on piano?
A ringing chord, then two low notes swinging back and forth. A right-hand broken-chord figure repeated as a hook. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 5-3.
Is Swinging bell 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 Swinging bell?
Counting Stars by OneRepublic, Always On My Mind by Elvis Presley and Burnin' Up by Jonas Brothers use Swinging bell. The songs on this page all use it in the right hand, the most played first.