Left-hand pattern · Dreamy ballad
Parachute down
A leap up high, then three steps floating back down. Musicians call it walk-down 1-9-8-7.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Parachute down 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.
Walk-down: Step by step down into the next chord.
Songs with Parachute down
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Parachute down, from verse to chorus.
More walks & steps
All patternsQuestions about Parachute down
What is Parachute down on piano?
A leap up high, then three steps floating back down. Musicians call it walk-down 1-9-8-7, one of the walk-down patterns: step by step down into the next chord.
How do I play walk-down 1-9-8-7 with the left hand?
Over C major it is C3 (5), then D4 (2), then C4 (1), then B3 (2); 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 Parachute down?
It is heard in 46 songs of the library, such as White Christmas, Blue Skies, They Say It's Wonderful, Embraceable You.
Is Parachute down easy?
It is a medium pattern, in 4/4, usually around 100 beats a minute.