Left-hand pattern · Dreamy ballad
Peek-and-slide down
A peek one step up, then two steps sliding down. Musicians call it walk-down 8-9-8-7.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Peek-and-slide 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 Peek-and-slide down
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Peek-and-slide down, from verse to chorus.
More walks & steps
All patternsQuestions about Peek-and-slide down
What is Peek-and-slide down on piano?
A peek one step up, then two steps sliding down. Musicians call it walk-down 8-9-8-7, one of the walk-down patterns: step by step down into the next chord.
How do I play walk-down 8-9-8-7 with the left hand?
Over C major it is C4 (4), then D4 (1), then C4 (4), then B3 (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 Peek-and-slide down?
It is heard in 20 songs of the library, such as Sleigh Ride, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Flying Home, How Brightly Beams The Morning Star.
Is Peek-and-slide down easy?
It is an easy pattern, in 4/4, usually around 100 beats a minute.