Original eight-bar two-feel study
| Bar | Harmony | Left hand beat 1 | Left hand beat 3 | Right-hand chord tones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C7 | C3 | G3 | E–G–B♭ |
| 2 | F7 | F2 | C3 | A–C–E♭ |
| 3 | C7 | C3 | G3 | E–G–B♭ |
| 4 | G7 | G2 | D3 | B–D–F |
| 5 | F7 | F2 | C3 | A–C–E♭ |
| 6 | C7 | C3 | G3 | E–G–B♭ |
| 7 | G7 | G2 | D3 | B–D–F |
| 8 | C7 | C3 | G3 | E–G–B♭ |
In this arrangement, each bass note is a quarter-note attack allowed to ring as needed; the right hand plays one three-note shell on beat 2 or 4, not both unless comfortable. All bars remain 4/4; two-feel refers to two main bass accents per bar.
Simpler triad version
If C7/F7/G7 is unfamiliar, substitute plain C/F/G triads in the right hand and leave out the flat sevenths. You lose some dominant color but keep the bass and form. Restore B♭, E♭ and F only when you can identify the note changes.
Swing is not a fixed equation
A swing feel often alters the relationship between paired eighth notes; the amount varies by style and tempo. First count the notated beats straight. Then listen to real performances and, when you can keep time, gently experiment with longer first/shorter second eighth notes. No recorded example or artist endorsement is implied here.
What to learn next
Study the seventh-chord differences and 12-bar harmony before adding walking bass or solo lines. For a short original melodic response try chord-tone improvisation.
Sources and scope
Source and topic references checked 28 October 2026. The linked articles/course outlines substantiate the indicated general principles and coverage, not our precise original exercise, performance effectiveness, or a first-hand review. Music studies here were independently composed for this site; external musician review before publishing is still outstanding.
- Berklee Online — Piano Chords 101 syllabus — keyboard chord construction, lead-sheet playing and voicing topics described in the course overview; not verification of our original voicings.
- Berklee Online — Music Theory 101 syllabus — notation, triads, inversions, rhythm, lead sheets or key relationships named in the syllabus; not a performance assessment of our examples.
- Pianoforall Academy — Current Course Catalog (merchant) — merchant-described curriculum areas only; not proof of particular exercise coverage, suitability, trial referral credit or results.