42nd Street Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn 42nd Street in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: B7 – Em – B7 – Em
How it goes
42nd Street sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: B7 is B, D#, F# and A; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
B7V7EmiB7V7Emi
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
35 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Trampoline bounce
How it goes
Root, a jump up, a dip down, a jump up: a country-style bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5-12 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 257 songs of the library.
Trampoline bounceBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pausing chordsBlock chords · ClassicalRight handEasy
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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm
- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A

What chords are in 42nd Street?

The loop is B7 – Em – B7 – Em (V7 – i – V7 – i) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.

What key is 42nd Street in?

E minor, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in 42nd Street?

Trampoline bounce: broken chord 8-12-5-12, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is 42nd Street 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.