Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play If I Were A Carpenter on piano
Artist unknown
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 108 BPM
- I–bVII–IV–I loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn If I Were A Carpenter in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Db – Ab – Eb
How it goes
If I Were A Carpenter sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Db is Db, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIDbbVIIAbIVEbI- EbEb · G · Bb
- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 108 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: Db – Ab – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are bVII – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbAbEb
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Questions about If I Were A Carpenter
What chords are in If I Were A Carpenter?
The loop is Eb – Db – Ab – Eb (I – bVII – IV – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Db – Ab – Eb.
What key is If I Were A Carpenter in?
Eb major, at about 108 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in If I Were A Carpenter?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is If I Were A Carpenter 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.