Piano chords · Rock drive

How to play California Gurls on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn California Gurls in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: F – Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
California Gurls sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F; C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIBbIVCVDmvi
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
34 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Heartbeat octavesRocking octaves · RockLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Run-up chords
How it goes
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Run-up chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 123 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF

What chords are in California Gurls?

The loop is F – Bb – C – Dm (I – IV – V – vi) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.

What key is California Gurls in?

F major, at about 123 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in California Gurls?

Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is California Gurls 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.