Piano chords · Old-time stride
Chicago: piano accompaniment sheet music
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Chicago written out as piano music: the vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays boom-chick (boom-chick) and the right hand offbeat skank.
Chicago chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Am | vi | A C E |
| 1 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 1 | Am | vi | A C E |
| 2 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 2 | Am | vi | A C E |
| 3 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 3 | Am | vi | A C E |
| 4 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 4 | Am | vi | A C E |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: boom-chick (boom-chick) in the left hand and offbeat skank in the right, over the Am – Dm – Am – Am – Dm – Am – Am – Dm – Am – Am – Dm – Am chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Chicago
Does the sheet music for Chicago have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Chicago?
The loop is Am – Dm – Am – Am – Dm – Am – Am – Dm – Am – Am – Dm – Am (vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii – vi – ii) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Chicago in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Chicago?
Boom-chick: boom-chick, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Chicago easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 12 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Chicago?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.