Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Glad Tidings on piano
Written by Ronnie Gilbert & Lee Hays
- F major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- 1951
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Glad Tidings in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – F7 – Bb – C7
How it goes
Glad Tidings sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmviF7I7BbIVC7V7- DmD · F · A
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Yo-yo bounce
How it goes
A long high root, a dip down, and back up like a yo-yo. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 629 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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 – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Glad Tidings
What chords are in Glad Tidings?
The loop is Dm – F7 – Bb – C7 (vi – I7 – IV – V7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Glad Tidings in?
F major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Glad Tidings?
Yo-yo bounce: broken chord 8-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Glad Tidings 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.