Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Can The Circle Be Unbroken on piano
By The Carter Family
- G major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–I7–I–I7 loop
- 1935
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Can The Circle Be Unbroken in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – G7 – G – G7
How it goes
Can The Circle Be Unbroken sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIG7I7GIG7I7- GG · B · D
- G7G · B · D · F
- 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: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. 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: C – D – G
How it goes
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
Play next
Questions about Can The Circle Be Unbroken
What chords are in Can The Circle Be Unbroken?
The loop is G – G7 – G – G7 (I – I7 – I – I7) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Can The Circle Be Unbroken in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Can The Circle Be Unbroken?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Can The Circle Be Unbroken 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.