# Does this piano technique have a name?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-piano-technique-have-a-name/338991>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 8, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-piano-technique-have-a-name/338991 "2006-01-08T07:04:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-piano-technique-have-a-name/338991/1 "2006-01-08T07:04:27Z")

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It’s the stereotypical piano accompaniment to silent movies. The left hand plays the melody, and the right hand plays rapidly-alternating notes, like a trill but the two notes are farther apart (e.g. a sixth).

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-piano-technique-have-a-name/338991/2 "2006-01-08T09:47:29Z")

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Tremolo. It’s not restricted to the piano - a similar rapid alternation between notes can be played on most instruments, and also a tremolo can be a rapid repition of a single note, especially on string instruments.

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**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-piano-technique-have-a-name/338991/3 "2006-01-09T15:45:57Z")

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Yeah, but he meant what’s the term for playing the tremolo with the right hand and the melody with the left? Not that I know the answer…

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-piano-technique-have-a-name/338991/4 "2006-01-09T17:18:46Z")

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Oh, there’s no specific term for that.