Piano chords · Film & wonder
How to play In Bethlehem, The Lowly on piano
By Traditional
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–V–I–V loop
- Tricky
Learn In Bethlehem, The Lowly in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – G – D
In Bethlehem, The Lowly sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIDVGIDV- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Rocket sweep
Climbs two octaves in two big leaps, soaring like a rocket. Musicians call it wide arpeggio 1-5-8-8-12-15 (wide arpeggio), a tricky pattern heard in 140 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
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 100 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: G – D7 – G
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GD7G- D7D · F# · A · C
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Questions about In Bethlehem, The Lowly
What chords are in In Bethlehem, The Lowly?
The loop is G – D – G – D (I – V – I – V) in G major, and the song ends on G – D7 – G.
What key is In Bethlehem, The Lowly in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in In Bethlehem, The Lowly?
Rocket sweep: wide arpeggio 1-5-8-8-12-15, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is In Bethlehem, The Lowly easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.