Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Barbara Ann on piano
Artist unknown
- F major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Learn Barbara Ann in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F – C7 – Bb
Barbara Ann sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIVFIC7V7BbIV- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Happy wiggle
Root, fifth, a step up and back: a cheerful bluesy wiggle. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-6-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 165 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 BPM
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 – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
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Questions about Barbara Ann
What chords are in Barbara Ann?
The loop is Bb – F – C7 – Bb (IV – I – V7 – IV) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Barbara Ann in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Barbara Ann?
Happy wiggle: broken chord 1-5-6-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Barbara Ann 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.