Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Honky Tonk Heroes on piano
Written by Billy Joe Shaver
- D major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1973
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Honky Tonk Heroes in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – G7 – D
How it goes
Honky Tonk Heroes sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVG7IV7DI- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Bossa seesaw
How it goes
Low-low, high-high in a laid-back Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 428 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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 – A – D
How it goes
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 Honky Tonk Heroes
What chords are in Honky Tonk Heroes?
The loop is D – G – G7 – D (I – IV – IV7 – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Honky Tonk Heroes in?
D major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Honky Tonk Heroes?
Bossa seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Honky Tonk Heroes 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.