Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Hey Joe on piano
Written by Berry Gordy & Michael Lovesmith
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 2013
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hey Joe in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fm – Db – C7 – Fm
How it goes
Hey Joe sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; Db is Db, F and Ab; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmviDbIVC7III7Fmvi- FmF · Ab · C
- DbDb · F · Ab
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
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: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. 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: Db – Eb – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about Hey Joe
What chords are in Hey Joe?
The loop is Fm – Db – C7 – Fm (vi – IV – III7 – vi) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Hey Joe in?
Ab major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hey Joe?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hey Joe 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.