The Church Pianist: Left Hand Accompaniment Pattern (Alternating Bass)

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Key Factors that Determine the type of Left Hand Pattern #1 (Alternating Bass)

*Time Signature

*Tempo

*Mood of Song: Peppy, Slow; meditative; etc.

I will share an easy left hand pattern for Peppy Songs in 4//4 time with repetitive bass lines.


Songs that have the same chord lasting 3 or more beats constitutes a repetitive bass line.


This applies to songs such as: At Calvary, When I See the Blood, When We All Get to Heaven.


The name of the pattern is: Alternating Bass (for repetitive bass)
(uses the 5th of the root chord for the alternating bass)


Example: (first line of…. When We All Get to Heaven in the Key of C)


Measure One:

Beat one: C octave

Beat two: C chord (root posisition)

Beat three: Lower G octave

Beat four: C 6 (1st inversion of C chord) Notes bottom up: E, G, C


Measure Two:

Beat one:C octave

Beat two: C chord (root posistion)

Beat three: G octave (higher one for variety)

Beat four: C chord (root posistion)


Measure Three:

Beat one: G octave (higher one)

Beat two: G7 cluster chord (Notes bottom up: F, G, B )

Beat three: D octave

Beat four: G7 cluster chord


Measure Four:

Beats one and two: Running down octaves in eighth notes: G F E D

Beat three: C octave

Beat four: Lower C octave

The secret to interesting left hand accompaniment is using a variety of left hand patterns for one song.

I will share another left hand pattern later on. Try this pattern with the hymns mentioned above.