Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle on piano
By Johnny Cash
- Bb major
- 3/4
- 120 BPM
- I–V7–I–IV loop
- 1951
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F7 – Bb – Eb
How it goes
(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIF7V7BbIEbIV- BbBb · D · F
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz bells
How it goes
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Bb – F7 – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbF7Bb
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Questions about (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle
What chords are in (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle?
The loop is Bb – F7 – Bb – Eb (I – V7 – I – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – F7 – Bb.
What key is (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle in?
Bb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle 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.