Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play On A Carousel on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn On A Carousel in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bb – Eb – Bb – Eb
How it goes
On A Carousel sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEbIVBbIEbIV
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
782 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Push and land
How it goes
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Push and landRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pop stabsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 140 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb
- FF · A · C

What chords are in On A Carousel?

The loop is Bb – Eb – Bb – Eb (I – IV – I – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.

What key is On A Carousel in?

Bb major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in On A Carousel?

Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is On A Carousel 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.