Do You Hear What I Hear Piano Chords & Patterns

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: C#m – E – C#m – E
How it goes
Do You Hear What I Hear sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C#m is C#, E and G#; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C#mviEIC#mviEI
- C#mC# · E · G#
- EE · G# · B
25 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Fluttering heartbeat
How it goes
A quick flutter before beat 2, then a push before beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 152 songs of the library.
Fluttering heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handMedium
3
Right hand: Heartbeat chords
How it goes
Long, short, long: chords on the pop heartbeat, then a rest. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Heartbeat chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 88 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE
- AA · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#

What chords are in Do You Hear What I Hear?

The loop is C#m – E – C#m – E (vi – I – vi – I) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.

What key is Do You Hear What I Hear in?

E major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Do You Hear What I Hear?

Fluttering heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4, a medium 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?

It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.