Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Dust Bowl Dance on piano
Written by Mumford & Sons
- C minor
- 4/4
- 104 BPM
- 2009
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Dust Bowl Dance in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
Dust Bowl Dance sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmiAbVIBbVIIEbIII- CmC · Eb · G
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 104 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: Ab – Bb – Cm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm
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Questions about Dust Bowl Dance
What chords are in Dust Bowl Dance?
The loop is Cm – Ab – Bb – Eb (i – bVI – bVII – bIII) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is Dust Bowl Dance in?
C minor, at about 104 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Dust Bowl Dance?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Dust Bowl Dance 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.