Piano chords · Blues & boogie
Detroit City: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Danny Dill & Mel Tillis
- C major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- IV–I–V7–I loop
- 1963
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Detroit City written out as piano music: the IV – I – V7 – I loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays jazz walk (walking bass) and the right hand steady chords.
Detroit City chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C 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 | IV | F A C |
| 2 | C | I | C E G |
| 3 | G7 | V7 | G B D F |
| 4 | C | I | C E G |
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: jazz walk (walking bass) in the left hand and steady chords in the right, over the F – C – G7 – C 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 Detroit City
Does the sheet music for Detroit City 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 Detroit City?
The loop is F – C – G7 – C (IV – I – V7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Detroit City in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Detroit City?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Detroit City 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.