Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Honeysuckle Rose on piano
- F major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Learn Honeysuckle Rose in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm7 – F#dim – G7 – Csus4 – F – Dm7 – Gm7 – Csus4
Honeysuckle Rose sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Gm7 is G, Bb, D and F; F#dim is F#, A and C; G7 is G, B, D and F; Csus4 is C, F and G; F is F, A and C; Dm7 is D, F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Gm7ii7F#dimbii°G7II7Csus4Vsus4FIDm7vi7Gm7ii7Csus4Vsus4- Gm7G · Bb · D · F
- F#dimF# · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- Csus4C · F · G
- FF · A · C
- Dm7D · F · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 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 160 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Honeysuckle Rose
What chords are in Honeysuckle Rose?
The loop is Gm7 – F#dim – G7 – Csus4 – F – Dm7 – Gm7 – Csus4 (ii7 – bii° – II7 – Vsus4 – I – vi7 – ii7 – Vsus4) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Honeysuckle Rose in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Honeysuckle Rose?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Honeysuckle Rose easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Honeysuckle Rose?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.