Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Apple Honey on piano
Written by Woody Herman
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1944
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Apple Honey in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F7 – Bb – Gm – C7
How it goes
Apple Honey sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F7V7BbIGmviC7II7- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 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: Run-up chords
How it goes
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. 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: 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- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Apple Honey
What chords are in Apple Honey?
The loop is F7 – Bb – Gm – C7 (V7 – I – vi – II7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Apple Honey in?
Bb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Apple Honey?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Apple Honey 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.