Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Chantilly Lace on piano
Written by J.P. Richardson
- F major
- 2/2
- 140 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- 1958
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Chantilly Lace in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F – C7 – F
How it goes
Chantilly Lace sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7FIC7V7FI- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll climb
How it goes
Up three chord notes and one step past: the 1950s rock’n’roll climb. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5-6 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 204 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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 – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FCF- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Chantilly Lace
What chords are in Chantilly Lace?
The loop is C7 – F – C7 – F (V7 – I – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on F – C – F.
What key is Chantilly Lace in?
F major, at about 140 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Chantilly Lace?
Rock’n’roll climb: broken chord 1-3-5-6, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Chantilly Lace easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.