Left-hand pattern · Bossa beach
Bossa seesaw
Low-low, high-high in a laid-back Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5-5.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Bossa seesaw goes
One bar over a C chord: a row for each key, a column for each step, the finger on each note. Over another chord, move the same shape to its root.
Root–fifth bass: Two notes taking turns: the classic country and folk bass.
Songs with Bossa seesaw
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Bossa seesaw, from verse to chorus.
More two-step bass
All patternsQuestions about Bossa seesaw
What is Bossa seesaw on piano?
Low-low, high-high in a laid-back Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5-5, one of the root–fifth bass patterns: two notes taking turns: the classic country and folk bass.
How do I play root–fifth 1-1-5-5 with the left hand?
Over C major it is C3 (5), then C3 (5), then G3 (1), then G3 (1); the number after each note is the finger (1 is the thumb). Over any other chord, move the same shape to that chord's root.
What songs use Bossa seesaw?
It is heard in 428 songs of the library, as the main groove of 61 songs, such as Oh, Pretty Woman, Abc, I’ll Be Gone, I Can’t Stop Loving You.
Is Bossa seesaw easy?
It is an easy pattern, in 4/4, usually around 110 beats a minute.