Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Carol Of The Birds on piano
By Traditional Catalonian Carol
- G major
- 2/4
- 100 BPM
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Carol Of The Birds in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – G – F – B7
How it goes
Carol Of The Birds sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D; F is F, A and C; B7 is B, D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiiGIFbVIIB7III7- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- FF · A · C
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Kangaroo leaps
How it goes
Bass, high chord, bass, high chord, fast: the hand leaps like a kangaroo. Musicians call it stride (2/4) (stride & boom-chick), a tricky pattern heard in 107 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
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 100 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
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Questions about Carol Of The Birds
What chords are in Carol Of The Birds?
The loop is Am – G – F – B7 (ii – I – bVII – III7) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Carol Of The Birds in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Carol Of The Birds?
Kangaroo leaps: stride (2/4), a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Carol Of The Birds easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.