Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Ginger Bread Boy on piano
By Jimmy Heath
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1964
- Easy
Learn Ginger Bread Boy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E7 – Eb7 – Bb7 – G7
Ginger Bread Boy sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E7 is E, G#, B and D; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
E7#IV7Eb7IV7Bb7I7G7VI7- E7E · G# · B · D
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Gospel-clap chords
Skips beat 1, then soulful chords that bounce off the “ands”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Ginger Bread Boy
What chords are in Ginger Bread Boy?
The loop is E7 – Eb7 – Bb7 – G7 (#IV7 – IV7 – I7 – VI7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Ginger Bread Boy in?
Bb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Ginger Bread Boy?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Ginger Bread Boy 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.