Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Clarinet Polka on piano
By Traditional
- Bb major
- 2/4
- 120 BPM
- I–V7–I–V7 loop
- Medium
Learn Clarinet Polka in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F7 – Bb – F7
Clarinet Polka sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIF7V7BbIF7V7- BbBb · D · F
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Ragtime bounce
Quick bass-chord-bass-chord: the bouncy left hand of ragtime. Musicians call it boom-chick (2/4) (stride & boom-chick), a medium pattern heard in 137 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
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
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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Clarinet Polka
What chords are in Clarinet Polka?
The loop is Bb – F7 – Bb – F7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Clarinet Polka in?
Bb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Clarinet Polka?
Ragtime bounce: boom-chick (2/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Clarinet Polka 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.