Piano chords · Bossa beach

How to play Eighteen Yellow Roses on piano

Tuning the piano…

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Learn Eighteen Yellow Roses in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: E – B7 – E – B7
How it goes
Eighteen Yellow Roses sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; B7 is B, D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIB7V7EIB7V7
- EE · G# · B
- B7B · D# · F# · A
222 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Bossa seesaw
How it goes
Low-low, high-high in a laid-back Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 428 songs of the library.
Bossa seesawRoot–fifth bass · Bossa novaLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Wait-a-beat chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 128 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: E – B7 – E
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EB7E

What chords are in Eighteen Yellow Roses?

The loop is E – B7 – E – B7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in E major, and the song ends on E – B7 – E.

What key is Eighteen Yellow Roses in?

E major, at about 128 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Eighteen Yellow Roses?

Bossa seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Eighteen Yellow Roses 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.