Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play He Was Tall on piano
Artist unknown
- D major
- 4/4
- 144 BPM
- Easy
Learn He Was Tall in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – A7 – D – F#m
He Was Tall sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G; D is D, F# and A; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVA7V7DIF#miii- GG · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- F#mF# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
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.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
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Questions about He Was Tall
What chords are in He Was Tall?
The loop is G – A7 – D – F#m (IV – V7 – I – iii) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is He Was Tall in?
D major, at about 144 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in He Was Tall?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is He Was Tall 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.