Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Bo Diddley on piano
By Bo Diddley
- G major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–v–I–v loop
- 1955
- Easy
Learn Bo Diddley in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Dm – G – Dm
Bo Diddley sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIDmvGIDmv- GG · B · D
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Dawdling chords
Two chords, then a lazy late one after beat 3 that catches up on 4. 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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Bo Diddley
What chords are in Bo Diddley?
The loop is G – Dm – G – Dm (I – v – I – v) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Bo Diddley in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Bo Diddley?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bo Diddley 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.