Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Bye Bye Blackbird on piano
- F major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 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: G#dim – Gm – C7 – D7
How it goes
Bye Bye Blackbird sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G#dim is G#, B and D; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G#dimbiii°GmiiC7V7D7VI7- G#dimG# · B · D
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- D7D · F# · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Knock-knock chords
How it goes
Chord, a quick knock-knock, a pause, then one last chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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 – Bb7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FBb7F- FF · A · C
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
Play next
Questions about Bye Bye Blackbird
What chords are in Bye Bye Blackbird?
The loop is G#dim – Gm – C7 – D7 (biiio – ii – V7 – VI7) in F major, and the song ends on F – Bb7 – F.
What key is Bye Bye Blackbird in?
F major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Bye Bye Blackbird?
Jazz walk: walking bass, 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 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.