Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Galway Bay on piano
By Arthur Colahan
- F major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 1947
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Galway Bay in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F7 – Bb – F
How it goes
Galway Bay sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7F7I7BbIVFI- C7C · E · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
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Questions about Galway Bay
What chords are in Galway Bay?
The loop is C7 – F7 – Bb – F (V7 – I7 – IV – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Galway Bay in?
F major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Galway Bay?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Galway Bay easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.