Piano chords · Film & wonder
How to play Christmas Song on piano
Written by David J. Matthews
- D major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- I–V–IV–I loop
- 1993
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Christmas Song in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A – G – D
How it goes
Christmas Song sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIAVGIVDI- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Rocket sweep
How it goes
Climbs two octaves in two big leaps, soaring like a rocket. Musicians call it wide arpeggio 1-5-8-8-12-15 (wide arpeggio), a tricky pattern heard in 140 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD
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Questions about Christmas Song
What chords are in Christmas Song?
The loop is D – A – G – D (I – V – IV – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Christmas Song in?
D major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Christmas Song?
Rocket sweep: wide arpeggio 1-5-8-8-12-15, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Christmas Song easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky 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.