Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Auctioneer on piano
Written by Leroy Van Dyke & Buddy Black
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- V7–I–I7–IV loop
- 1956
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Auctioneer in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F7 – Bb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
Auctioneer 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; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F7V7BbIBb7I7EbIV- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Lazy seesaw
How it goes
A low note, a higher one, a gap, then the higher one again. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 520 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Bb – Eb – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbEbBb
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Questions about Auctioneer
What chords are in Auctioneer?
The loop is F7 – Bb – Bb7 – Eb (V7 – I – I7 – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – Eb – Bb.
What key is Auctioneer in?
Bb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Auctioneer?
Lazy seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Auctioneer 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.