Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Fishin' In The Dark on piano
By Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- D major
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1986
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Fishin' In The Dark in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – D – G
How it goes
Fishin' In The Dark sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVDIGIV- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
How it goes
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Dreamy flicker
How it goes
Two notes flicker with a soft, dreamy, slightly bluesy colour. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Fishin' In The Dark
What chords are in Fishin' In The Dark?
The loop is D – G – D – G (I – IV – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Fishin' In The Dark in?
D major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Fishin' In The Dark?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Fishin' In The Dark 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.