Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Christmas Is on piano
By Percy Faith
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 82 BPM
- 1966
- Easy
Learn Christmas Is in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Db7 – Cm – Fm
Christmas Is sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Db7 is Db, F, Ab and Cb; Cm is C, Eb and G; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIDb7bVII7CmviFmii- EbEb · G · Bb
- Db7Db · F · Ab · Cb
- CmC · Eb · G
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Heartbeat chords
Long, short, long: chords on the pop heartbeat, then a rest. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 82 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Christmas Is
What chords are in Christmas Is?
The loop is Eb – Db7 – Cm – Fm (I – bVII7 – vi – ii) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Christmas Is in?
Eb major, at about 82 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Christmas Is?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Christmas Is 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.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.