Piano chords · Blues & boogie

How to play Delauney's Dilemma on piano

Tuning the piano…

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Learn Delauney's Dilemma in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Eb – Cm – Fm – Bb7
Delauney's Dilemma sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Cm is C, Eb and G; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbICmviFmiiBb7V7
- EbEb · G · Bb
- CmC · Eb · G
- FmF · Ab · C
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
160 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Velvet jazzLeft-hand chords · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
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 160 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F

What chords are in Delauney's Dilemma?

The loop is Eb – Cm – Fm – Bb7 (I – vi – ii – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.

What key is Delauney's Dilemma in?

Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Delauney's Dilemma?

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 Delauney's Dilemma 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.