Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Birthday on piano
By Dmitri Shostakovich
- A major
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- I7–IV7–I7–V7 loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Birthday in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A7 – D7 – A7 – E7
How it goes
Birthday sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C; E7 is E, G#, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7I7D7IV7A7I7E7V7- A7A · C# · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- E7E · G# · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Boogie walker
How it goes
A walking line that climbs and falls through the chord. Musicians call it boogie-woogie line (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 807 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 138 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: D – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Birthday
What chords are in Birthday?
The loop is A7 – D7 – A7 – E7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Birthday in?
A major, at about 138 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Birthday?
Boogie walker: boogie-woogie line, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Birthday 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Birthday?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.