4 Left-Hand Piano Chord Patterns for Beginners (Accompany Any Melody)
To accompany a melody on piano, learn the tonic, subdominant and dominant chords of a major scale (in G major: G B D, G C E and F# C D) and play them in the left hand using four patterns: arpeggio, oompa, waltz and salsa.
Key points
- In G major, the tonic is G B D, the subdominant G C E and the dominant F# C D.
- The four patterns are arpeggio (L H M H), oompa, waltz (3/4) and salsa (block chords on 1, the and of 2, and 4).
- Choose the chord that contains long melody notes or notes on strong beats.
- Sing the melody over the left hand before adding the right hand, and never stop the left hand.
- Flatten B and E to Bb and Eb for a darker minor version of a tune.
This beginner lesson from Jason Zac at Nathaniel School of Music teaches four left-hand patterns that work across many styles, including folk songs, nursery rhymes and simple classical pieces. You will also learn three essential chords, how to choose which one fits a melody note, and how to give a familiar tune a darker minor sound.
The three chords in G major
The lesson uses the G major scale: G A B C D E F# G. Write it out and number the notes 1 to 7 (G is 1, A is 2, B is 3, C is 4 and so on, with F# as 7). All chords are played in the left hand, leaving the right hand free for the melody.
- Tonic (home chord): scale degrees 1-3-5, which is G B D. It sounds stable and resolved.
- Subdominant: degrees 1-4-6, which is G C E. It adds colour and movement.
- Dominant: degrees 7-4-5, which is F# C D, a compact shape of D7. It sounds unstable and wants to return to the tonic.
These shapes keep your hand close to one position, so shifting between them is easy. Practise moving tonic to subdominant, tonic to dominant and back until it feels natural.
The four left-hand patterns
1. Arpeggio (L H M H)
L is the lowest note of the triad, M the middle and H the highest. Play L, H, M, H, and hold the low note down with your fifth finger while the others move. On G B D this gives G, D, B, D. It is the smoothest pattern and suits gentle tunes.
2. Oompa
A groovier two-beat feel: play the lowest note (the oom), then the remaining two notes together (the pa). Make the low note a little longer and the chord shorter and choppier for a bouncy effect.
3. Waltz
For songs in 3/4 time: low note, chord, chord. Keep the oom longer and the pa sounds lighter.
4. Salsa
A more modern pattern using block chords (all three notes together). Count eighth notes as 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and, and strike the chord on 1, the and of 2, and 4. Keep it short and choppy.
Choosing chords for a melody
Look at melody notes that are long or land on a strong beat, usually beat 1. Pick the chord that contains that note. In Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in G major, the word little falls on E, so the subdominant G C E fits. When the tune returns to D, go back to the tonic G B D. On the word how the melody is on C, so the dominant F# C D works. Change chords wherever the melody gives you the chance, because staying on the tonic all the time makes the music feel directionless. Near endings, the subdominant tends to move to the dominant, and the dominant to the tonic.
Song ideas from the lesson:
- Arpeggio: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Oompa: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
- Waltz: Happy Birthday, Three Blind Mice
- Salsa: Yankee Doodle, Oh Susanna
Making it minor
For a darker version, change every B to Bb and every E to Eb in both hands. The tonic becomes G Bb D (G minor). Decide whether to keep F# (harmonic minor) or use F (natural minor) for the seventh.
How to practise
- Learn the three chords and shift between them slowly.
- Run each pattern until the left hand plays without thinking.
- Sing the melody while the left hand plays, before adding the right hand. Singing guides the right hand to the right notes.
- Avoid working out exactly where each right-hand note lines up with the left hand; let the singing lead.
- Treat the left hand as the engine: if you make a mistake in the right hand, keep the left hand going.
Questions about this lesson
What are the three main chords for accompanying a melody in G major?
The tonic G B D, the subdominant G C E and the dominant F# C D. These three chords can accompany most folk, children's and simple classical tunes.
How do I know which chord to play under a melody note?
Look at notes that are long or fall on beat 1, and choose the chord that contains that note. For example, a long E fits the subdominant G C E, and a C fits the dominant F# C D.
What is the salsa left-hand pattern on piano?
Play the whole triad as a block chord on beat 1, the and of beat 2, and beat 4, counting eighth notes. Keep the chords short and choppy.
Which pattern should I use for songs in 3/4 time?
Use the waltz pattern: the low note of the chord followed by the other notes twice, root, chord, chord. Happy Birthday and Three Blind Mice suit it well.
Practise it
- Cadence LibraryCompare piano cadences across keys and listen to how different chord movements create closure, suspense or a turn in a new direction.
- Pop LessonsPractice companions for Jason Zac’s pop piano lessons: octave fillers, chord changes and inversions in every key.
- Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
Related lessons
- 3 Go-To Left-Hand Piano Patterns Every Player NeedsThree dependable left-hand piano patterns cover most genres: the umpah (root-fifth bass with a staccato chord), the four-note arpeggio (low, high, middle, high), and the power chord (root, fifth and octave) played in different rock rhythms.
- 5 of the Best Left-Hand Piano Accompaniment PatternsFive left-hand piano accompaniment patterns that make simple chords sound professional are spread voicings with the third added, a root-and-fifth toggle, the LHMH magic arpeggio, a tresillo dance groove, and a pedalled deep bass with the chord played higher.
- Make the Simplest Piano Chord Sound Unique: From Power Chord to Rich HarmonyTo make a plain left-hand 5th chord sound rich on piano, keep the root and 5th (G and D for G major) and let your thumb float to colour notes from the scale, such as the 9th (A), 10th (B), major 7th (F#) or major 6th (E), instead of the octave.
- Simple but Beautiful Piano Arpeggios to Serve Any MelodyTo build left-hand piano arpeggios that suit almost any 4/4 melody, start with chord roots, move to root-and-fifth patterns, then triad rhythms, and finally the low-high-middle-high (LHMH) arpeggio in quavers and then semiquavers.