Twinkle
Two notes twinkling 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 E (thumb, 1) and G (middle finger, 3).
Count and play
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play G 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 and D. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.
Songs that use it
Questions
What is Twinkle on piano?
Two notes twinkling back and forth. The right hand alternating two chord tones. Musicians call it two-note ostinato 5-3.
Is Twinkle 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 Twinkle?
The One That Got Away by Katy Perry, Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova and Home by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros use Twinkle. The songs on this page all use it in the right hand, the most played first.