Left-hand piano patterns are the repeating figures the left hand plays, such as the root and 5th, the Alberti bass, and the stride, which give the music its bass, its rhythm, and its harmony, while the right hand plays the melody. The pattern is the accompaniment, and the melody is the song, and together they make the music.
What are left-hand piano patterns?
Left-hand piano patterns are the repeating figures the left hand plays, such as the root and 5th, the Alberti bass, and the stride, which give the music its bass, its rhythm, and its harmony, while the right hand plays the melody. The pattern is the accompaniment, and the melody is the song, and together they make the music, because the left hand gives the foundation, and the right hand gives the tune, and the two together are the piano, sounding like a band, with the bass, the harmony, and the melody, all at once. The left hand is the accompaniment, because it plays low, on the keyboard, and it gives the bass, which is the lowest note, and the harmony, which is the chord, and the rhythm, which is the beat, and the right hand is the melody, because it plays high, on the keyboard, and it gives the tune, which is the song, and the two hands divide the work, so the piano can play the whole song, alone. The patterns are the left hand's vocabulary, and the player must learn them, one at a time, until they are automatic, and the left hand can play them, without thinking, while the right hand plays the melody. The C major piano chord and the G major piano chord are the chords most patterns are built on, and the piano note finder shows the notes of any chord.
How left-hand piano patterns work
A left-hand pattern works by repeating a figure, with the notes of the chord, in a rhythm, so the accompaniment is steady, and the melody can flow over it. The root and 5th pattern plays the root, then the 5th, then the root, in a rhythm, so the bass is the root, and the harmony is the 5th, and the pattern is simple, and steady, and it is used in folk and pop, where the accompaniment should be simple, and the melody should shine. The Alberti bass plays the root, then the 5th, then the 3rd, then the 5th, in a pattern, low, high, middle, high, so the notes are broken, and the accompaniment flows, and it is used in classical music, where the accompaniment should be elegant, and the melody should sing. The stride pattern plays the root, low, on the first beat, and then the chord, high, on the second beat, so the left hand jumps, from low to high, and back, and the pattern is the stride, because the hand strides, across the keyboard, and it is used in jazz and ragtime, where the accompaniment should swing, and the rhythm should drive. The patterns are the left hand's job, and the player must learn them, one at a time, and the pattern must be steady, in time, because the accompaniment is the foundation, and the melody is built on it. The D major piano chord and the A major piano chord are the chords the patterns are built on.
Worked example — the Alberti bass in C major. Play the left hand, with the pinky, finger 5, on C, C3, 130.81 Hz, the thumb, finger 1, on G, G3, 196 Hz, and the middle finger, finger 3, on E, E3, 164.81 Hz, and play the pattern: C, low, then G, high, then E, middle, then G, high, and repeat, C, G, E, G, C, G, E, G, and the notes are the root, the 5th, the 3rd, and the 5th, in the pattern low, high, middle, high, and the accompaniment flows, and the right hand can play the melody, over it, and the music is the Alberti bass, in C major, and the key of C major lists the chords the pattern is built on.
How to practise left-hand piano patterns
Practise left-hand patterns by playing one pattern, with one chord, until it is steady, and the notes are even, and then by changing chords, with the pattern, so the accompaniment flows, while the right hand plays the melody.
- Play the root and 5th pattern in C major, with the left hand, C, then G, then C, in a steady rhythm, and listen for the bass to be steady, and the notes to be even.
- Play the Alberti bass in C major, with the left hand, C, G, E, G, in a pattern, low, high, middle, high, and listen for the accompaniment to flow.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with the left hand playing the root and 5th pattern, and the right hand playing the chords, and listen for the harmony to change, smoothly.
- Practise the stride pattern, with the left hand jumping from the root, low, to the chord, high, and back, and listen for the rhythm to swing.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the pattern is clean at the current tempo.
Common mistakes
- Playing the left hand too loudly — The left hand is the accompaniment, and it should be softer than the right hand, which is the melody, and a left hand that is too loud will drown the melody, and the music will be unbalanced. Play the left hand softly, and the right hand clearly, and the music will be balanced.
- Rushing the pattern — A pattern played too fast, too soon, will have mistakes, because the fingers are not ready, and the notes will be wrong, and the pattern will be confused. Practise slowly, until the pattern is clean, and then increase the speed, with the metronome.
- Forgetting to change the pattern with the chord — The pattern is the notes of the chord, and a player who forgets to change it, when the chord changes, will play the wrong notes, and the harmony will be wrong. Change the pattern with the chord, so the notes are the notes of the new chord, and the harmony will be right.
Quick reference
This table shows the three common left-hand patterns, with the notes for a C major chord and the style each one is used for, so you can see the patterns side by side and learn them one at a time. The root and 5th is simple and steady, the Alberti bass is elegant and flowing, and the stride is swinging and driving, and each one is the best for its style.
| Pattern | Notes (C major) | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Root and 5th | C – G – C | Folk and pop, simple accompaniment |
| Alberti bass | C – G – E – G | Classical, elegant accompaniment |
| Stride | C (low) – chord (high) | Jazz and ragtime, swinging accompaniment |
Use the table to practise the patterns: learn one, with one chord, until it is steady, and then change chords, with the pattern, so the accompaniment flows, while the right hand plays the melody. When you can play all three patterns, you can accompany any song, and the left hand will be automatic.
Frequently asked questions
What are left-hand piano patterns?
Left-hand piano patterns are the repeating figures the left hand plays, such as the root and 5th, the Alberti bass, and the stride, which give the music its bass, its rhythm, and its harmony, while the right hand plays the melody.
What is the Alberti bass?
The Alberti bass is a pattern that plays the root, then the 5th, then the 3rd, then the 5th, in the order low, high, middle, high, so the notes are broken, and the accompaniment flows, and it is used in classical music, where the accompaniment should be elegant.
What is the stride pattern?
The stride pattern plays the root, low, on the first beat, and then the chord, high, on the second beat, so the left hand jumps, from low to high, and back, and the pattern is used in jazz and ragtime, where the accompaniment should swing.
What is the root and 5th pattern?
The root and 5th pattern plays the root, then the 5th, then the root, in a rhythm, so the bass is the root, and the harmony is the 5th, and the pattern is simple, and steady, and it is used in folk and pop, where the accompaniment should be simple.
How loud should the left hand be?
Softer than the right hand, because the left hand is the accompaniment, and the right hand is the melody, and the melody should shine, and the accompaniment should support it, not drown it, and the music should be balanced.