Left-hand pattern · Waltz garden
Waltz stride
A deep bass, a chord above, then the octave: a leaping waltz. Musicians call it stride (3/4).
Want to mix it with other hands?
How Waltz stride 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.
Stride & boom-chick: A deep bass note, then a chord. The left hand jumps.
Songs with Waltz stride
Each one opens with this pattern in its player.
Often comes next
The patterns songs move to after Waltz stride, from verse to chorus.
More bounce & stride
All patternsQuestions about Waltz stride
What is Waltz stride on piano?
A deep bass, a chord above, then the octave: a leaping waltz. Musicians call it stride (3/4), one of the stride & boom-chick patterns: a deep bass note, then a chord. the left hand jumps.
How do I play stride (3/4) with the left hand?
Over C major it is C3 (5), then G3 (5) + E4 (1), then C4 (1); 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 Waltz stride?
It is heard in 215 songs of the library, as the main groove of 49 songs, such as Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Take My Hand, Precious Lord), The Old Rugged Cross, Dear Heart, Emily.
Is Waltz stride easy?
It is a medium pattern, in 3/4, usually around 116 beats a minute.