Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play California Nights on piano
Written by Marvin Hamlisch & Howard Liebling
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1967
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn California Nights in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fm – F# – E – C
How it goes
California Nights sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; F# is F#, A# and C#; E is E, G# and B; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmivF##IVEIIICI- FmF · Ab · C
- F#F# · A# · C#
- EE · G# · B
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Doorbell ding-dong
How it goes
Two high, two low, in a lazy push rhythm: ding-ding, dong-dong. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 472 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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 – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about California Nights
What chords are in California Nights?
The loop is Fm – F# – E – C (iv – #IV – III – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is California Nights in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in California Nights?
Doorbell ding-dong: broken chord 8-8-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is California Nights 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.