Grown-Up Christmas List Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Grown-Up Christmas List in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bb – F – Gm – Dm
Grown-Up Christmas List sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIFVGmviDmiii
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- DmD · F · A
28 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Pausing footstepsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Steady chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 68 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 – F7 – Bb
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbF7Bb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb

What chords are in Grown-Up Christmas List?

The loop is Bb – F – Gm – Dm (I – V – vi – iii) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F7 – Bb.

What key is Grown-Up Christmas List in?

Bb major, at about 68 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Grown-Up Christmas List?

Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Grown-Up Christmas List 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.