Right-hand pattern · Film & wonder
Swinging bell
A ringing chord, then two low notes swinging back and forth. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 5-3.
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Swinging bell 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 Swinging bell
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Swinging bell, from verse to chorus.
More sparkling figures
All patternsQuestions about Swinging bell
What is Swinging bell on piano?
A ringing chord, then two low notes swinging back and forth. Musicians call it broken-chord ostinato 5-3, one of the broken-chord figure patterns: a right-hand figure circling the chord.
How do I play broken-chord ostinato 5-3 with the right hand?
Over C major it is C4 (1) + G4 (5), then E4 (3), then C4 (1), then E4 (3), then C4 (1), then E4 (3), 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 Swinging bell?
It is heard in 26 songs of the library, such as Counting Stars, Good Thing, Always On My Mind, Burnin’ Up.
Is Swinging bell easy?
It is a medium pattern, in 4/4, usually around 112 beats a minute.