Piano chords · Waltz garden
Gymnopedie No. 1: easy piano accompaniment in letter notes
By Erik Satie
- B minor
- 3/4
- 78 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The accompaniment with every note named, bar by bar: the bar sheet shows each note as a bar on the staff with its letter inside, so you can accompany Gymnopedie No. 1 without reading music. The left hand plays waltz ripple (broken chord 1-5-8 (3/4)), and the right hand sings the tune.
The opening of Gymnopedie No. 1 in letter notes
The real notes from a score, both hands, bar by bar. R is the right hand, L the left; C4 is middle C.
Gymnopedie No. 1 accompaniment in letter notes
The G – D – G – D loop with waltz ripple in the left hand. Notes struck together are joined with a plus; C4 is middle C.
How to read the bar sheet
The player above shows the treble staff (right hand) over the bass staff (left hand). Every note is a bar as long as it sounds, at its place on the staff, with its name inside, and the music scrolls past a line that marks now. The chord names run along the top.
Start with the left hand alone at a slow speed, then the right, then both. When the letters feel easy, try the sheet music.
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Questions about Gymnopedie No. 1
What are the letter notes for the Gymnopedie No. 1 piano accompaniment?
Bar by bar, both hands: the bar sheet on this page names every note of the accompaniment (C4 is middle C) and plays along. The loop is G – D – G – D, so the letters repeat with the chords.
What chords are in Gymnopedie No. 1?
The loop is G – D – G – D (VI – III – VI – III) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is Gymnopedie No. 1 in?
B minor, at about 78 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Gymnopedie No. 1?
Waltz ripple: broken chord 1-5-8 (3/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Gymnopedie No. 1 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Gymnopedie No. 1?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.