Hurdy Gurdy Man Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Hurdy Gurdy Man in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: G – F – C – G
Hurdy Gurdy Man sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIFbVIICIVGI
- GG · B · D
- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
102 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Double-skip footsteps
Steady steps with two quick skips, one mid-bar and one at the end. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4 · 4& (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 397 songs of the library.
Double-skip footstepsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handMedium
3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
4
Both hands at 100 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 – C – G
The last chords are bVII – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FCG

What chords are in Hurdy Gurdy Man?

The loop is G – F – C – G (I – bVII – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on F – C – G.

What key is Hurdy Gurdy Man in?

G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Hurdy Gurdy Man?

Double-skip footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4 · 4&, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Hurdy Gurdy Man easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.