Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Flake on piano
Artist unknown
- F major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- vi–I–IV–I loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Flake in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – F – Bb – F
How it goes
Flake sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; F is F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmviFIBbIVFI- DmD · F · A
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
How it goes
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Neon flicker
How it goes
A rich chord, then two notes flickering with a cool, bluesy glow. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: C – Bb – F
How it goes
The last chords are V – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CBbF- CC · E · G
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Questions about Flake
What chords are in Flake?
The loop is Dm – F – Bb – F (vi – I – IV – I) in F major, and the song ends on C – Bb – F.
What key is Flake in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Flake?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Flake 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.