Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Down To The River To Pray on piano
By Ken Medema
- E major
- 2/4
- 144 BPM
- IV–I–V–I loop
- 2005
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Down To The River To Pray in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – E – B – E
How it goes
Down To The River To Pray sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; B is B, D# and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIVEIBVEI- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- BB · D# · F#
- 2
Left hand: Toy-soldier march
How it goes
A bright two-note chord, then the low root: a toy soldier’s left-right. Musicians call it lh triads (2/4) (left-hand chords), a medium pattern heard in 205 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Marching chords
How it goes
Two chords per bar, left-right, like a happy little march. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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
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Questions about Down To The River To Pray
What chords are in Down To The River To Pray?
The loop is A – E – B – E (IV – I – V – I) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Down To The River To Pray in?
E major, at about 144 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Down To The River To Pray?
Toy-soldier march: lh triads (2/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Down To The River To Pray 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.