Left-hand pattern · Dreamy ballad
Island zigzag
A jump up, then down past the start, in the three-three-two rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Island zigzag 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: The chord, one note at a time, close together.
Songs with Island zigzag
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Island zigzag, from verse to chorus.
More ripples
All patternsQuestions about Island zigzag
What is Island zigzag on piano?
A jump up, then down past the start, in the three-three-two rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5, one of the broken chord patterns: the chord, one note at a time, close together.
How do I play broken chord 8-12-5 with the left hand?
Over C major it is C4 (2), then G4 (1), then G3 (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 Island zigzag?
It is heard in 302 songs of the library, as the main groove of 83 songs, such as Night And Day, Love For Sale, Blame It On The Bossa Nova, That Old Black Magic.
Is Island zigzag easy?
It is an easy pattern, in 4/4, usually around 120 beats a minute.