Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Great Balls Of Fire on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1957
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Great Balls Of Fire in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F7 – G – Cm – F7 – F7 – C
How it goes
Great Balls Of Fire sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: C is C, E and G; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; G is G, B and D; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIF7IV7GVCmiF7IV7F7IV7CI- CC · E · G
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- GG · B · D
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll rocker
How it goes
The left hand rocks between two shapes, straight out of the 1950s. Musicians call it rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 262 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Mouse-run chords
How it goes
Skips beat 1, scurries through four quick chords, then hides. 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: C – F – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC- FF · A · C
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Questions about Great Balls Of Fire
What chords are in Great Balls Of Fire?
The loop is C – F7 – G – Cm – F7 – F7 – C (I – IV7 – V – i – IV7 – I – IV7) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Great Balls Of Fire in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Great Balls Of Fire?
Rock’n’roll rocker: rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Great Balls Of Fire easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 7 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Great Balls Of Fire?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.