Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Georgia On My Mind on piano
By Ray Charles
- F major
- 2/2
- 68 BPM
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Georgia On My Mind in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – A7 – D – G7 – C
How it goes
Georgia On My Mind sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: F is F, A and C; A7 is A, C#, E and G; D is D, F# and A; G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIA7III7DVIG7II7CV- FF · A · C
- A7A · C# · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll rocker
How it goes
The left hand rocks between two shapes, straight out of the 1950s. Musicians call it rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 262 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 68 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: Bb – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbC7F- BbBb · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
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Questions about Georgia On My Mind
What chords are in Georgia On My Mind?
The loop is F – A7 – D – G7 – C (I – III7 – VI – II7 – V) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C7 – F.
What key is Georgia On My Mind in?
F major, at about 68 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Georgia On My Mind?
Rock’n’roll rocker: rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Georgia On My Mind easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 5 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Georgia On My Mind?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 7 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.