{"id":8533,"date":"2022-07-29T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=8533"},"modified":"2023-05-02T10:55:04","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T17:55:04","slug":"great-balls-of-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/great-balls-of-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2708\ufe0f How to Play &#8220;Great Balls of Fire&#8221; Like a Top Gunner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Learn how to play \u201cGreat Balls of Fire\u201d by Jerry Lee Lewis and rock out like Miles Teller in <em>Top Gun: Maverick<\/em>! This is a super fun song that brings together a plethora of useful rock\u2019n\u2019roll skills, so use it to impress your buddies!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"parts-to-the-song\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Parts to the Song<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three main parts to this song and they all have some exciting features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#A\">A section<\/a> &#8211; octaves, slides, rock shuffle, glissandos<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#B\">B section<\/a> &#8211; tremolos, syncopation, big chords<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#solo\">Solo<\/a> &#8211; walking bass and even <em>more <\/em>glissandos!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h3 style=\"font-size: 20px;\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Never Miss a Song Tutorial<\/b><\/h3><p>Love our video tutorial? Your favorite song might be next! Subscribe to our newsletter for piano news, exclusive interviews, new tutorials, interesting articles, and more delivered to your inbox every week. Unsubscribe at any time.<\/p><\/center><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"A\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>&#8220;Great Balls of Fire&#8221;: A Section<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intro-octaves\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Intro: Octaves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The song opens with a series of ascending and descending octaves. Octaves can be tough for beginners, especially those with small hands. An option around this is to split the octaves between two hands. The sound won\u2019t be as \u201cfull,\u201d but the effect is similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intro-octaves\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Main Riff: Slides<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The main riff&#8217;s iconic sound comes to the subtle E-flat slide in your right hand. Simply slide into a C triad from a Cm one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\u201c\u201d\" autoplay=\"\u201c\u201d\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Great%20Balls%20of%20Fire\/GBOF%20-%20Slide.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intro-octaves\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Glissando!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Glissandos look <em>super <\/em>cool. And they\u2019re not super difficult either. But there\u2019s a right and wrong way to gliss\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The right way: keep your thumb light and loose as you slide your thumbnail over the keys. Be careful not to hold your thumb too stiff\u2014it\u2019ll hurt!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\u201c\u201d\" autoplay=\"\u201c\u201d\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Great%20Balls%20of%20Fire\/GBOF%20-%20Glissando%20-%20small.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>To gliss back up, use the nail part of your middle finger and again, stay loose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intro-octaves\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Left Hand: Rock Shuffle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The rock shuffle is an iconic part of rock\u2019n\u2019roll music. It\u2019s essentially rocking between fifth chords (aka \u201cpower chord\u201d) and sixth chords, like this example shuffling between C5 and C6:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\u201c\u201d\" autoplay=\"\u201c\u201d\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Great%20Balls%20of%20Fire\/GBOF%20-%20Rock%20Shuffle%20-%20small.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"B\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>&#8220;Great Balls of Fire&#8221;: B Section<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tremolos\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Tremolos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tremolos are when you alternate between notes really quickly, creating a trembling effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\u201c\u201d\" autoplay=\"\u201c\u201d\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Great%20Balls%20of%20Fire\/GBOF%20-%20Tremolo.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>C and E\u266d played together doesn\u2019t sound very nice (it\u2019s the notorious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2017\/10\/31\/560843189\/the-unsettling-sound-of-tritones-the-devils-interval\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tritone<\/a>). Yet with the tremolo effect, these notes help build excitement and tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tremolos\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Syncopated Off-Beats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We end the B section on some powerful G chords\u2026and then play them syncopated. In other words, we play them on the off-beat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can think of this as playing on the \u201cand\u201d rather than the number if you\u2019re counting.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Great%20Balls%20of%20Fire\/GBOF%20Syncopation.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"386\" height=\"156\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Or, just get a very good feel for the downbeat and play in between those beats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"solo\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>&#8220;Great Balls of Fire&#8221;: Solo<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The piano solo section brings together the skills you\u2019ve learned so far, such as big chords and glissandos. Have fun here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"walking-bass\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Walking Bass<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The walking bass in this section outlines 6 chords\u2014C6, F6, G6 etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, we\u2019ll split them up into octaves like this. Try to avoid holding any tension in your hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\u201c\u201d\" autoplay=\"\u201c\u201d\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Great%20Balls%20of%20Fire\/GBOF%20-%20Bass%20Walk.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"make-the-fire-your-own\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Make the Fire Your Own \ud83d\udd25<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it for our tutorial. But this is just a starting point\u2014make \u201cBalls of Fire\u201d your own! Add (or omit) more glissandos, vary the rhythm, experiment with syncopation, or even improvise your own piano solo!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most importantly, remember to have fun \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h3 style=\"font-size:20px;\"><b>Learn Your Favorites, Step By Step<\/b><\/h3><p> As a Pianote+ Member, you\u2019ll get access to our 10-step Method, song library, and growing community of piano players just like you. Plus: get coached by world-class pianists who have played with rock stars.<\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><br><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to play Jerry Lee Lewis&#8217; &#8220;Great Balls of Fire&#8221; like Miles Teller in Top Gun in this tutorial with Kevin Castro and Lisa Witt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":8540,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1107,1105,508],"tags":[1086],"class_list":["post-8533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-scores","category-pop-rock","category-song-tutorials","tag-l3s"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8533"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13475,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8533\/revisions\/13475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}