Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Bye Bye Blackbird on piano
By Mort Dixon
- F major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1926
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Bye Bye Blackbird in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – F – Dm – Gm – A7
How it goes
Bye Bye Blackbird sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A; Gm is G, Bb and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIFIDmviGmiiA7III7- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- GmG · Bb · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
How it goes
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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: F – Gm – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGmF
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Questions about Bye Bye Blackbird
What chords are in Bye Bye Blackbird?
The loop is F – F – Dm – Gm – A7 (I – vi – ii – III7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on F – Gm – F.
What key is Bye Bye Blackbird in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Bye Bye Blackbird?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bye Bye Blackbird easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Bye Bye Blackbird?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.