Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Far Away Places on piano
By Joan Whitney
- F major
- 3/4
- 96 BPM
- I–ii–V7–I loop
- 1947
- Easy
Learn Far Away Places in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gm – C7 – F
Far Away Places sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIGmiiC7V7FI- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Waltz roots
One low note on each of the three beats: a simple waltz floor. Musicians call it root bass · 3/4 quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 391 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz push chords
Chord, a push before beat 3, then the landing: a waltz with a nudge. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 96 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
Ending: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Far Away Places
What chords are in Far Away Places?
The loop is F – Gm – C7 – F (I – ii – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Far Away Places in?
F major, at about 96 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Far Away Places?
Waltz roots: root bass · 3/4 quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Far Away Places 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.