Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play I’m A Brass Band on piano
Artist unknown
- F major
- 4/4
- 152 BPM
- Easy
Learn I’m A Brass Band in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – Bb – Bbm – F
I’m A Brass Band sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7BbIVBbmivFI- C7C · E · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- BbmBb · Db · F
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 152 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: Bb – C7 – F
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbC7F
Play next
Questions about I’m A Brass Band
What chords are in I’m A Brass Band?
The loop is C7 – Bb – Bbm – F (V7 – IV – iv – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C7 – F.
What key is I’m A Brass Band in?
F major, at about 152 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I’m A Brass Band?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’m A Brass Band 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.