Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play I’m Shipping Up To Boston on piano
Written by Alexander Barr, Ken Casey & others
- E minor
- 6/8
- 160 BPM
- 2004
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I’m Shipping Up To Boston in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – C – E – C
How it goes
I’m Shipping Up To Boston sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EICVIEICVI- EE · G# · B
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Cradle pulse
How it goes
A deep note, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 160 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
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 160 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: D – A – E
How it goes
The last chords are bVII – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DAE- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about I’m Shipping Up To Boston
What chords are in I’m Shipping Up To Boston?
The loop is E – C – E – C (I5 – bVI – I5 – bVI) in E minor, and the song ends on D – A – E.
What key is I’m Shipping Up To Boston in?
E minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in I’m Shipping Up To Boston?
Cradle pulse: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’m Shipping Up To Boston 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.