Piano chords · Blues & boogie
Deacon Blues: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Steely Dan
- G major
- 4/4
- 125 BPM
- 1977
- Easy
Deacon Blues written out as piano music: the bVII – VI7 – bIII7 – ii loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays velvet jazz (lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3)) and the right hand heartbeat chords.
Deacon Blues chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | bVII | F A C |
| 2 | E7 | VI7 | E G# B D |
| 3 | Bb7 | bIII7 | Bb D F Ab |
| 4 | Am | ii | A C E |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: velvet jazz (lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3)) in the left hand and heartbeat chords in the right, over the F – E7 – Bb7 – Am chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about Deacon Blues
Does the sheet music for Deacon Blues have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Deacon Blues?
The loop is F – E7 – Bb7 – Am (bVII – VI7 – bIII7 – ii) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Deacon Blues in?
G major, at about 125 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Deacon Blues?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Deacon 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.