Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Harlem River Blues: easy piano accompaniment in letter notes
By Justin Townes Earle
- G major
- 2/2
- 156 BPM
- I–IV–I–V loop
- 1989
- Easy
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 Harlem River Blues without reading music. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) and the right hand push chords.
Harlem River Blues accompaniment in letter notes
The G – C – G – D loop with pop heartbeat in the left hand and push chords in the right. 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 Harlem River Blues
What are the letter notes for the Harlem River Blues 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 – C – G – D, so the letters repeat with the chords.
What chords are in Harlem River Blues?
The loop is G – C – G – D (I – IV – I – V) in G major, and the song ends on G – D – G.
What key is Harlem River Blues in?
G major, at about 156 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Harlem River Blues?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Harlem River Blues 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.