Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Iko Iko: easy piano accompaniment in letter notes
By Dr. John
- D major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- I–V7–I–V7 loop
- 1964
- Easy
The accompaniment with every note named, bar by bar: the bar sheet shows each note as a bar on the staff with its letter inside, so you can accompany Iko Iko without reading music. The left hand plays tumbling heartbeat (root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3& · 4), and the right hand sings the tune.
Iko Iko accompaniment in letter notes
The D – A7 – D – A7 loop with tumbling heartbeat in the left hand. Notes struck together are joined with a plus; C4 is middle C.
How to read the bar sheet
The player above shows the treble staff (right hand) over the bass staff (left hand). Every note is a bar as long as it sounds, at its place on the staff, with its name inside, and the music scrolls past a line that marks now. The chord names run along the top.
Start with the left hand alone at a slow speed, then the right, then both. When the letters feel easy, try the sheet music.
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Questions about Iko Iko
What are the letter notes for the Iko Iko piano accompaniment?
Bar by bar, both hands: the bar sheet on this page names every note of the accompaniment (C4 is middle C) and plays along. The loop is D – A7 – D – A7, so the letters repeat with the chords.
What chords are in Iko Iko?
The loop is D – A7 – D – A7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Iko Iko in?
D major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Iko Iko?
Tumbling heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Iko Iko 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.