Super Simple Chords

Piano chords · Old-time stride

How to play Drill Ye Tarriers on piano

By Thomas Casey

Tuning the piano…
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Style

Left hand Boom-chickThe right hand sings the tuneChords the loop the song repeats most

Learn Drill Ye Tarriers in 5 steps

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

  1. 1

    Chords: F#7 – Bm – F#7 – Bm

    Drill Ye Tarriers sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F#7 is F#, 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.

    F#7V7BmiF#7V7Bmi
    • F#7F# · A# · C# · E
    • BmB · D · F#
    35 songs go round the same chords
  2. 2

    Left hand: Boom-chick

    Bass, chord, bass, chord: the bounce of ragtime and country. Musicians call it boom-chick (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 762 songs of the library.

  3. 3

    Right hand: the chords, held

    In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.

  4. 4

    Both hands at 132 BPM

    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. 5

    Ending: G – A – Bm

    The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.

    GABm
    • GG · B · D
    • AA · C# · E

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Questions about Drill Ye Tarriers

What chords are in Drill Ye Tarriers?

The loop is F#7 – Bm – F#7 – Bm (V7 – i – V7 – i) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.

What key is Drill Ye Tarriers in?

B minor, at about 132 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Drill Ye Tarriers?

Boom-chick: boom-chick, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Drill Ye Tarriers 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.