Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Cotton Fields on piano
Artist unknown
- F major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- V7–I–I7–IV loop
- 1962
- Easy
Learn Cotton Fields in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F – F7 – Bb
Cotton Fields sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7FIF7I7BbIV- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Tumble down
Three notes falling down the chord, one per beat, then a rest. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-1 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 635 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: F – Gm – F
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGmF- GmG · Bb · D
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Questions about Cotton Fields
What chords are in Cotton Fields?
The loop is C7 – F – F7 – Bb (V7 – I – I7 – IV) in F major, and the song ends on F – Gm – F.
What key is Cotton Fields in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Cotton Fields?
Tumble down: broken chord 8-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cotton Fields 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.