Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play In The Bleak Midwinter on piano
By Gustav Holst
- F major
- 4/4
- 78 BPM
- Easy
Learn In The Bleak Midwinter in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – Gb7 – F – Dm
In The Bleak Midwinter sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Gb7 is Gb, Bb, Db and Fb; F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7Gb7bII7FIDmvi- C7C · E · G · Bb
- Gb7Gb · Bb · Db · Fb
- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
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: Pausing chords
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 78 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 – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
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Questions about In The Bleak Midwinter
What chords are in In The Bleak Midwinter?
The loop is C7 – Gb7 – F – Dm (V7 – bII7 – I – vi) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is In The Bleak Midwinter in?
F major, at about 78 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in In The Bleak Midwinter?
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 In The Bleak Midwinter 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 7 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.