Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Big D on piano
Written by Frank Loesser
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1956
- Easy
Learn Big D in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Gm – C7
Big D sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; 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.
Bb7V7EbIGmiiiC7VI7- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
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
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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Big D
What chords are in Big D?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Gm – C7 (V7 – I – iii – VI7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Big D in?
Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Big D?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Big D 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.