Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Town Meeting Song on piano
By Danny Elfman
- B minor
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Town Meeting Song in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – B7 – Em – B7
How it goes
Town Meeting Song sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; B7 is B, D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmivB7I7EmivB7I7- EmE · G · B
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Boom-chick
How it goes
Bass, chord, bass, chord: the bounce of ragtime and country. Musicians call it boom-chick (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 762 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Ticking clock
How it goes
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: G – A – Bm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- BmB · D · F#
Play next
Questions about Town Meeting Song
What chords are in Town Meeting Song?
The loop is Em – B7 – Em – B7 (iv – I7 – iv – I7) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is Town Meeting Song in?
B minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Town Meeting Song?
Boom-chick: boom-chick, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Town Meeting Song 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.