Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Do You Hear What I Hear? on piano
- D major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–V–vi–V loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Do You Hear What I Hear? in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A – Bm – A
How it goes
Do You Hear What I Hear? sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIAVBmviAV- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Marching giant
How it goes
Thick three-note chords on every beat, rocking between two shapes. Musicians call it lh triads (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
How it goes
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Em – A7 – D
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EmA7D- EmE · G · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
Play next
Questions about Do You Hear What I Hear?
What chords are in Do You Hear What I Hear??
The loop is D – A – Bm – A (I – V – vi – V) in D major, and the song ends on Em – A7 – D.
What key is Do You Hear What I Hear? in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Do You Hear What I Hear??
Marching giant: lh triads, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Do You Hear What I Hear? 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.