Piano chords · Old-time stride
Chattanooga Choo Choo: easy piano accompaniment in letter notes
By Harry Warren
- C major
- 2/2
- 140 BPM
- I7–IV–I7–IV loop
- 1941
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The accompaniment with every note named, bar by bar: the bar sheet shows each note as a bar on the staff with its letter inside, so you can accompany Chattanooga Choo Choo without reading music. The left hand plays stride jumps (stride), and the right hand sings the tune.
The main tune of Chattanooga Choo Choo in letter notes
The real notes from a score, both hands, bar by bar. R is the right hand, L the left; C4 is middle C.
Chattanooga Choo Choo accompaniment in letter notes
The C7 – F – C7 – F loop with stride jumps in the left hand. Notes struck together are joined with a plus; C4 is middle C.
How to read the bar sheet
The player above shows the treble staff (right hand) over the bass staff (left hand). Every note is a bar as long as it sounds, at its place on the staff, with its name inside, and the music scrolls past a line that marks now. The chord names run along the top.
Start with the left hand alone at a slow speed, then the right, then both. When the letters feel easy, try the sheet music.
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Questions about Chattanooga Choo Choo
What are the letter notes for the Chattanooga Choo Choo piano accompaniment?
Bar by bar, both hands: the bar sheet on this page names every note of the accompaniment (C4 is middle C) and plays along. The loop is C7 – F – C7 – F, so the letters repeat with the chords.
What chords are in Chattanooga Choo Choo?
The loop is C7 – F – C7 – F (I7 – IV – I7 – IV) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is Chattanooga Choo Choo in?
C major, at about 140 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Chattanooga Choo Choo?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Chattanooga Choo Choo 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 Chattanooga Choo Choo?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.