Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Folsom Prison Blues on piano
By Johnny Cash
- G major
- 2/2
- 110 BPM
- 1956
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Folsom Prison Blues in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – Em – C
How it goes
Folsom Prison Blues sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Em is E, G and B; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIDVEmviCIV- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Doorbell ding-dong
How it goes
Two high, two low, in a lazy push rhythm: ding-ding, dong-dong. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 472 songs of the library.
- 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.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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 – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG
Play next
Questions about Folsom Prison Blues
What chords are in Folsom Prison Blues?
The loop is G – D – Em – C (I – V – vi – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Folsom Prison Blues in?
G major, at about 110 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Folsom Prison Blues?
Doorbell ding-dong: broken chord 8-8-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Folsom Prison Blues 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.