Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Cabaret on piano
By Kander & Ebb
- Db major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1966
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Cabaret in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Db – Ab – Db – Ab7
How it goes
Cabaret sits in Db major: Db is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Db is Db, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Ab7 is Ab, C, Eb and Gb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbIAbVDbIAb7V7- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- Ab7Ab · C · Eb · Gb
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hide-and-seek chords
How it goes
Hides on beat 1, pops up on 2, sneaks in before beat 4, then lands on it. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Gb – Ab – Db
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GbAbDb- GbGb · Bb · Db
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Questions about Cabaret
What chords are in Cabaret?
The loop is Db – Ab – Db – Ab7 (I – V – I – V7) in Db major, and the song ends on Gb – Ab – Db.
What key is Cabaret in?
Db major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cabaret?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cabaret 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Cabaret?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the bass riff of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 6 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.