Boogie Your Way To Dexterity

Boogie Woogie patterns are not only fun, but a great way to develop finger (and, in the case of organists, foot) dexterity. Here are some patterns to practice, based on the 12 bar blues form.

The first patterns are for the right hand alone. Next, there is a variety of left hand Boogie bass lines. Finally, there are two examples of organ pedal patterns. For the last pattern, get your right foot off the volume pedal and play the upper notes in each eighth-note grouping!

All patterns can be played together, so get your musician friends to join in... or create a duet with yourself by taping one set and playing along with the recording using a new set of patterns the second time around.

 Boogie Your Way To Dexterity

By Bonita Luciotti

Right Hand Pattern #1

 4/4 time, play 3 notes in a triplet:

C/C, D, E, E, F, G, G, F, E, E, D, C // C, D, E, E, F, G, G, F, E, E, D, C // repeat

4/4 time play 3 eighth notes as a triplet:

F/F, G, A, A, Bb, C // repeat // C/C, D, E, E, F, G, G, F, E, E, D, C // repeat

G/G, A, B, B, C, D, D, C, B, B, A, G // F/F, G, A, A, Bb, C, C, Bb, A, A, G, F

C/C, D, E, E, F, G,G, F, E, E, D, C // repeat // repeat // C, rest, C, rest //

Right Hand Pattern #2

C/E, F, G, G, A, Bb, Bb, A, G, G, F, E // repeat // repeat //

F/A, Bb, C, C, D, Eb, Eb, D, C, C, Bb, A // repeat // C/E, F, G, G, A, Bb, Bb, A, G, G, F, E //

repeat // G/B, C, D, D, E, F, F, E, D, D, C, B // F/A, Bb, C, C, D, Eb, Eb, D, C, C, Bb, A

C/E, F, G, G, A, Bb, Bb, A, G, G, F, E // repeat // repeat // E, rest, E, rest //

Left Hand Pattern #1

/CG,  /CG, Eb, E,  /CG,  /CG, Eb, E // repeat // repeat // repeat //

/FC, /FC, Ab, A, /FC, /FC, Ab, A // /FC, /FC, Ab, A, /FC, Ab, A //

/CG, /CG, Eb, E, CG, CG, Eb, E / repeat / /GD, /GD, Bb, B, GD, GD, Bb, B //

/FC, /FC, Ab, A, /FC, /FC, Ab, A // /CG, /CG, Eb, E, /CG, CG, Eb, E // repeat //

/CG, /CG, Eb, E, /CG, /CG, Eb, E, /CG, rest, /CG, rest //

Left Hand Pattern #2 (done in jazz eighths)

Use the octaves on the downbeat of each measure and then on & 4 &

1  &  2  &  3   &  4   &

C, C, E, F, F#, G, G, G // repeat // repeat // repeat //

F, F, A, Bb, B, C, C, C // repeat // C, C, E, F, F#, G, G, G // repeat // G, G, B, C, C#, D, D, D // 

F, F, A, Bb, B, C, C, C // C, C, E, F, F#, G, G, G // repeat // repeat // C, rest, C, rest //

Left Hand Pattern #3 (done in "jazz eighths')

C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A // Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A //

Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // F, F, A, A, C, C, D, D // Eb, Eb, D, D, C, C, A, A //

C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A, // Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // g, G, B, B, D, D, B, B //

F, F, A, A, C, C, A, A // C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A, // Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // 

C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A // C, rest /CC, rest //

Spinet Pedals

C, E, G, A // Bb, A, G, E // C, E, G, A // Bb, A, G, E

F, A, C, A // repeat // C, E, G, A, // Bb, A, G, E // G, B, G, G //

F, A, F, F // C, E, G, A // Bb, A, G, E // C, E, G, A // C, rest, C, rest //

Console Pedals (done in "jazz eighths")

C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C //

Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // F, F, A, F, C, F, D, F // Eb, F, D, F, C, F, A, F //

C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // G, G, B, G, D, G, E, G // F, F, A, F, C, F, D, F //

C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // C, rest, C, rest //

Resources for you:

Hanon 1 - Finger Exercises

Pitch Ear Training Software 

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 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King