Down By The Riverside Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Down By The Riverside in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Ab – Eb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
Down By The Riverside sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIVEbIBb7V7EbI
- AbAb · C · Eb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
72 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Jazz walkWalking bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Hopscotch chordsBlock chords · StrideRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 120 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: Eb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb

What chords are in Down By The Riverside?

The loop is Ab – Eb – Bb7 – Eb (IV – I – V7 – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.

What key is Down By The Riverside in?

Eb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Down By The Riverside?

Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Down By The Riverside 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.