Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Girl Talk on piano
By Neal Hefti
- F major
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- 1965
- Easy
Learn Girl Talk in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – C7 – Am – D7
Girl Talk sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Am is A, C and E; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiC7V7AmiiiD7VI7- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- AmA · C · E
- D7D · F# · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
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: Skipping-stone chords
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 88 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Girl Talk
What chords are in Girl Talk?
The loop is Gm – C7 – Am – D7 (ii – V7 – iii – VI7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Girl Talk in?
F major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Girl Talk?
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 Girl Talk 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.