Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Chi-Baba Chi-Baba on piano
Written by Mack David, Al Hoffman & others
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 70 BPM
- V7–I–V–I loop
- 1947
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Chi-Baba Chi-Baba in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F7 – Bb – F – Bb
How it goes
Chi-Baba Chi-Baba sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F7V7BbIFVBbI- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Groovy chords
How it goes
Chords jump around the “ands” for a funky, dancing feel. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 70 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: Cm – F7 – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CmF7Bb- CmC · Eb · G
Play next
Questions about Chi-Baba Chi-Baba
What chords are in Chi-Baba Chi-Baba?
The loop is F7 – Bb – F – Bb (V7 – I – V – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Cm – F7 – Bb.
What key is Chi-Baba Chi-Baba in?
Bb major, at about 70 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Chi-Baba Chi-Baba?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Chi-Baba Chi-Baba 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.