Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: F#m – B7 – E – C#m
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F#m is F#, A and C#; B7 is B, D#, F# and A; E is E, G# and B; C#m is C#, E and G#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F#miiB7V7EIC#mvi
- F#mF# · A · C#
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
- C#mC# · E · G#
37 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
Drowsy heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Soft chordsBlock chords · BalladRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 60 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#m – B7 – E
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
F#mB7E

What chords are in Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas?

The loop is F#m – B7 – E – C#m (ii – V7 – I – vi) in E major, and the song ends on F#m – B7 – E.

What key is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas in?

E major, at about 60 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas?

Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 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.