Left-hand pattern · Pop heartbeat
Double island pulse
The island rhythm squeezed in twice per bar: quick and dancy. Musicians call it root bass on beats 1, 1a, 2&, 3, 3a, 4&.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Double island pulse 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 bass rhythm: Just the lowest note, played in a rhythm you can dance to.
Songs with Double island pulse
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Double island pulse, from verse to chorus.
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All patternsQuestions about Double island pulse
What is Double island pulse on piano?
The island rhythm squeezed in twice per bar: quick and dancy. Musicians call it root bass on beats 1, 1a, 2&, 3, 3a, 4&, one of the root bass rhythm patterns: just the lowest note, played in a rhythm you can dance to.
How do I play root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3 · 3a · 4& with the left hand?
Over C major it is C3 (5), then C3 (5), then C3 (5), then C3 (5), then C3 (5), then C3 (5); 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 Double island pulse?
It is heard in 122 songs of the library, as the main groove of 52 songs, such as Shape Of You, You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile, Breathing, We Found Love.
Is Double island pulse easy?
It is a medium pattern, in 4/4, usually around 100 beats a minute.