Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play G.I. Blues on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn G.I. Blues in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – Am – F
How it goes
G.I. Blues sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; Am is A, C and E; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIGVAmviFIV- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- AmA · C · E
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Happy wiggle
How it goes
Root, fifth, a step up and back: a cheerful bluesy wiggle. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-6-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 165 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. 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: 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
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Questions about G.I. Blues
What chords are in G.I. Blues?
The loop is C – G – Am – F (I – V – vi – IV) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is G.I. Blues in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in G.I. Blues?
Happy wiggle: broken chord 1-5-6-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is G.I. Blues 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.