Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Car Wash on piano
Artist unknown
- F major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- Easy
Learn Car Wash in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – C – Dm – Bb
Car Wash sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FICVDmviBbIV- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Rock hop
Low, high, a quick double, then high again: a hopping rock bass. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 809 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 110 BPM
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
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF
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Questions about Car Wash
What chords are in Car Wash?
The loop is F – C – Dm – Bb (I – V – vi – IV) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Car Wash in?
F major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Car Wash?
Rock hop: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Car Wash 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Car Wash?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.