Charade Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Charade in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Am – Bm – Am – Bm
Charade sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiBmiiAmiBmii
- AmA · C · E
- BmB · D · F#
13 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Moon River roll
A wide, flowing roll in three, the Moon River feel. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-10 (3/4) (open arpeggio), a medium pattern heard in 441 songs of the library.
Moon River rollOpen arpeggio · WaltzLeft handMedium
3
Right hand: Waltz chords
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Waltz chordsBlock chords · WaltzRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 72 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: F – G – Am
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm
- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D

What chords are in Charade?

The loop is Am – Bm – Am – Bm (i – ii – i – ii) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.

What key is Charade in?

A minor, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Charade?

Moon River roll: open arpeggio 1-5-10 (3/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Charade 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.