Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Goin' On A Sleighride on piano
By Ralph Blane
- F major
- 2/4
- 100 BPM
- I–ii–V7–I loop
- 1952
- Easy
Learn Goin' On A Sleighride in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gm – C7 – F
Goin' On A Sleighride sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIGmiiC7V7FI- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Polka-hop chords
Chords only on the “ands” in a quick two-beat bar: the “pah” of a polka. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Gm – C7 – F
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmC7F
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Questions about Goin' On A Sleighride
What chords are in Goin' On A Sleighride?
The loop is F – Gm – C7 – F (I – ii – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Gm – C7 – F.
What key is Goin' On A Sleighride in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Goin' On A Sleighride?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Goin' On A Sleighride 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.