Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Cumberland Blues on piano
- G major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Cumberland Blues in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – F# – Bb – B
How it goes
Cumberland Blues sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; F# is F#, A# and C#; Bb is Bb, D and F; B is B, D# and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIF#VIIBbbIIIBIII- GG · B · D
- F#F# · A# · C#
- BbBb · D · F
- BB · D# · F#
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll climb
How it goes
Up three chord notes and one step past: the 1950s rock’n’roll climb. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5-6 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 204 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
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 160 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 – Am – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAmG- AmA · C · E
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Questions about Cumberland Blues
What chords are in Cumberland Blues?
The loop is G – F# – Bb – B (I – VII – bIII – III) in G major, and the song ends on G – Am – G.
What key is Cumberland Blues in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Cumberland Blues?
Rock’n’roll climb: broken chord 1-3-5-6, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cumberland Blues 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.