Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Here We Come A-Wassailing on piano
By Traditional
- D major
- 6/8
- 160 BPM
- I–i–I–i loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Here We Come A-Wassailing in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – Dm – D – Dm
How it goes
Here We Come A-Wassailing sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIDmiDIDmi- DD · F# · A
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Little march
How it goes
A chord, then a single low note: left, right, like a little march. Musicians call it lh chords (2/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 278 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Marching chords
How it goes
Two chords per bar, left-right, like a happy little march. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 BPM
How it goes
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 – A7 – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GA7D- GG · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
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Questions about Here We Come A-Wassailing
What chords are in Here We Come A-Wassailing?
The loop is D – Dm – D – Dm (I – i – I – i) in D major, and the song ends on G – A7 – D.
What key is Here We Come A-Wassailing in?
D major, at about 160 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in Here We Come A-Wassailing?
Little march: lh chords (2/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Here We Come A-Wassailing 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 6 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.