Right-hand pattern · Film & wonder
Circling light
Three notes circle round and round in a soft, glowing loop. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 10-5-8.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Circling light 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.
Broken-chord figure: A right-hand figure circling the chord.
Songs with Circling light
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Circling light, from verse to chorus.
More sparkling figures
All patternsQuestions about Circling light
What is Circling light on piano?
Three notes circle round and round in a soft, glowing loop. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 10-5-8, one of the broken-chord figure patterns: a right-hand figure circling the chord.
How do I play broken-chord ostinato 10-5-8 with the right hand?
Over C major it is E5 (5), then G4 (1), then C5 (3), then E5 (5), then G4 (1), then C5 (3); 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 Circling light?
It is heard in 38 songs of the library, as the main groove of 3 songs, such as Endless Love, Summer, Highland Falls, The Last Night Of The World, 1000 Miles Away.
Is Circling light easy?
It is a medium pattern, in 4/4, usually around 100 beats a minute.