Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Hound Dog on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1953
- Easy
Learn Hound Dog in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – C – Cm – F – C – F7 – C
Hound Dog sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: C is C, E and G; Cm is C, Eb and G; F is F, A and C; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CICICmiFIVCIF7IV7CI- CC · E · G
- CmC · Eb · G
- FF · A · C
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wake-and-run chords
One long chord, then three quick ones running into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
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Questions about Hound Dog
What chords are in Hound Dog?
The loop is C – C – Cm – F – C – F7 – C (I – i – IV – I – IV7 – I – i) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Hound Dog in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hound Dog?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hound Dog easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Hound Dog?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure 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.