Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Imagine on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 85 BPM
- 1971
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Imagine in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – Bb7 – C
How it goes
Imagine sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVBb7bVII7CI- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
How it goes
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Push chords
How it goes
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 85 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: C – Dm – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDmC- DmD · F · A
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Questions about Imagine
What chords are in Imagine?
The loop is C – F – Bb7 – C (I – IV – bVII7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on C – Dm – C.
What key is Imagine in?
C major, at about 85 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Imagine?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Imagine 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.