Right-hand pattern · Film & wonder
Glass bells
A chord, then two clear notes ringing back and forth like glass bells. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 8-3.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Glass bells 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 Glass bells
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Glass bells, from verse to chorus.
More sparkling figures
All patternsQuestions about Glass bells
What is Glass bells on piano?
A chord, then two clear notes ringing back and forth like glass bells. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 8-3, one of the broken-chord figure patterns: a right-hand figure circling the chord.
How do I play broken-chord ostinato 8-3 with the right hand?
Over C major it is G4 (2) + C5 (5), then E4 (1), then G4 (2), then E4 (1), then G4 (2), then E4 (1), and so on; 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 Glass bells?
It is heard in 18 songs of the library, such as My Way, Jack’s Lament, My Funny Valentine, Hometown Glory.
Is Glass bells easy?
It is a medium pattern, in 4/4, usually around 100 beats a minute.