Piano chords · Old-time stride
Down To The River To Pray: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Ken Medema
- E major
- 2/4
- 144 BPM
- IV–I–V–I loop
- 2005
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Down To The River To Pray written out as piano music: the IV – I – V – I loop in E major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays toy-soldier march (lh triads (2/4)) and the right hand marching chords.
Down To The River To Pray chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in E major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | IV | A C# E |
| 2 | E | I | E G# B |
| 3 | B | V | B D# F# |
| 4 | E | I | E G# B |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: toy-soldier march (lh triads (2/4)) in the left hand and marching chords in the right, over the A – E – B – E chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
Play next
Questions about Down To The River To Pray
Does the sheet music for Down To The River To Pray have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
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.