Piano chords · Blues & boogie

How to play Hallelujah Chorus on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Hallelujah Chorus in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: D – G – G – G – Em – E – A
How it goes
Hallelujah Chorus sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; Em is E, G and B; E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVGIVGIVEmiiEIIAV
- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- EmE · G · B
- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
782 songs go round the same chords
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.
Jazz walkWalking bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
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 100 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: D – G – D
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DGD

What chords are in Hallelujah Chorus?

The loop is D – G – G – G – Em – E – A (I – IV – ii – II – V – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on D – G – D.

What key is Hallelujah Chorus in?

D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Hallelujah Chorus?

Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Hallelujah Chorus easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Hallelujah Chorus?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the bass riff 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.