Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Country Boy on piano
By Alan Jackson
- E minor
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- Easy
Learn Country Boy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – E – D – A
Country Boy sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIVEIDVIIAIV- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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: D – A – E
The last chords are bVII – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DAE
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Questions about Country Boy
What chords are in Country Boy?
The loop is A – E – D – A (IV – I5 – bVII – IV) in E minor, and the song ends on D – A – E.
What key is Country Boy in?
E minor, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Country Boy?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Country Boy 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.