Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Altar Boy on piano
Written by Rickie Lee Jones
- A minor
- 3/4
- 155 BPM
- 1993
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Altar Boy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – Am – G – Am
How it goes
Altar Boy sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EVAmiGVIIAmi- EE · G# · B
- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz bells
How it goes
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 155 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
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Questions about Altar Boy
What chords are in Altar Boy?
The loop is E – Am – G – Am (V – i – bVII – i) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Altar Boy in?
A minor, at about 155 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Altar Boy?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Altar Boy 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.