Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Run Rudolph Run on piano
By The Brian Setzer Orchestra
- C major
- 4/4
- 152 BPM
- I7–IV7–I7–V7 loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Run Rudolph Run in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F7 – C7 – G7
How it goes
Run Rudolph Run sits in C major: C 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; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7I7F7IV7C7I7G7V7- C7C · E · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Rockabilly wiggle
How it goes
Root, a skip down, a step down and back up: a rockabilly shake. Musicians call it broken chord 8-6-5-6 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 76 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 152 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Run Rudolph Run
What chords are in Run Rudolph Run?
The loop is C7 – F7 – C7 – G7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Run Rudolph Run in?
C major, at about 152 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Run Rudolph Run?
Rockabilly wiggle: broken chord 8-6-5-6, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Run Rudolph Run easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.