Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) on piano
By Bill Evans
- G minor
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1947
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm7 – Cm7 – F7 – Bb
How it goes
Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm7 is C, Eb, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Cm7iv7Cm7iv7F7VII7BbIII- Cm7C · Eb · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
How it goes
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. 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: Eb – F – Gm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFGm- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
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Questions about Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes)
What chords are in Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes)?
The loop is Cm7 – Cm7 – F7 – Bb (iv7 – VII7 – III – iv7) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) in?
G minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes)?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes)?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.