Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Hello In There on piano
By John Prine
- C major
- 2/2
- 132 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Learn Hello In There in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – Dm – G
Hello In There sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GVCIDmiiGV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Push chords
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: C – G – C
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CGC
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Questions about Hello In There
What chords are in Hello In There?
The loop is G – C – Dm – G (V – I – ii – V) in C major, and the song ends on C – G – C.
What key is Hello In There in?
C major, at about 132 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Hello In There?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hello In There 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.