Road to Don't Stop Believin'
Journey · Grade 5
Don't Stop Believin' was released by Journey in 1981 on their album Escape. The song was written by keyboardist Jonathan Cain, vocalist Steve Perry, and guitarist Neal Schon. Its piano introduction — an arpeggiated pattern that outlines the chord progression before any other instrument enters — is one of the most recognisable openings in rock music. The Tom Gerou arrangement for Alfred's Popular Hits Level 5 captures the character of that intro while staying within reach of the advancing intermediate player. The primary technical demand is broken chords sustained in a flowing pattern that runs through the whole piece.
About this plan
The plan focuses on broken chords, the skill that drives the piece's accompaniment throughout. The prep sequence builds from Grade 3 and reaches Grade 5 before the destination. The Alfred Popular Hits arrangement also requires melody over accompaniment and moderate syncopation, both of which the prep sequence covers.
Skills you'll build
Estimated time: 10–14 weeks at 20–30 min/day
Books you'll need
The plan
A 4-piece path to playing Don't Stop Believin'. Register free to unlock it.
A warm singing melody over a continuous left-hand broken-chord pattern. This is the same two-handed texture the Alfred arrangement uses throughout — the difference is tempo and phrase length.
Grieg's waltz from the Lyric Pieces — a swaying 3/4 piece with the broken-chord left-hand pattern running throughout. The rhythmic discipline of the waltz directly prepares the flowing accompaniment figure of the Alfred arrangement.
The opening piece of Grieg's famous collection — a short, beautifully shaped melody over a broken-chord accompaniment. This is where pedalling enters the skill set.
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The destination. Your library covers broken-chord accompaniment pattern and melody over accompaniment after completing the three pieces above. The syncopated rhythmic figures in the melody (syncopation) are the one genuinely new element.
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