Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Golden Horn on piano
By Dave Brubeck
- C minor
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1959
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Golden Horn in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Dm – G7 – Cm
How it goes
Golden Horn sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbVIDmiiG7V7Cmi- AbAb · C · Eb
- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
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: Knock-knock chords
How it goes
Chord, a quick knock-knock, a pause, then one last chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Ab – Bb – Cm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Golden Horn
What chords are in Golden Horn?
The loop is Ab – Dm – G7 – Cm (bVI – ii – V7 – i) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is Golden Horn in?
C minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Golden Horn?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Golden Horn 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.