Happy Birthday Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Happy Birthday in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: C – Am7 – C – Am7 – C – Am7 – C – Am7
Happy Birthday sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: C is C, E and G; Am7 is A, C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIAm7vi7CIAm7vi7CIAm7vi7CIAm7vi7
- CC · E · G
- Am7A · C · E · G
384 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Hop-back bounce
High, low, then back up to stay: a simple, sturdy bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-8-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 171 songs of the library.
Hop-back bounceBroken chord · BalladLeft 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 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC
- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D

What chords are in Happy Birthday?

The loop is C – Am7 – C – Am7 – C – Am7 – C – Am7 (I – vi7 – I – vi7 – I – vi7 – I – vi7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.

What key is Happy Birthday in?

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

What does the left hand play in Happy Birthday?

Hop-back bounce: broken chord 8-5-8-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Happy Birthday easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Happy Birthday?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.