Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Do-Re-Mi on piano
Written by Richard Rodgers
- C major
- 2/4
- 120 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- 1959
- Medium
Learn Do-Re-Mi in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – C – G7 – C
Do-Re-Mi sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G7V7CIG7V7CI- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Brass-band march
A bold open chord, then a low note: oom-pah like a marching band. Musicians call it lh power fifths (2/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 234 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleigh bells
A high note and two quick chords in a short bar, jingling along. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Dm – G7 – C
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DmG7C- DmD · F · A
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Questions about Do-Re-Mi
What chords are in Do-Re-Mi?
The loop is G7 – C – G7 – C (V7 – I – V7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on Dm – G7 – C.
What key is Do-Re-Mi in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Do-Re-Mi?
Brass-band march: lh power fifths (2/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Do-Re-Mi easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.