Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play It Came Upon The Midnight Clear on piano
By Edmund Hamilton Sears
- Bb major
- 3/4
- 120 BPM
- IV–ii–V7–I loop
- 1995
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn It Came Upon The Midnight Clear in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Cm – F7 – Bb
How it goes
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Cm is C, Eb and G; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIVCmiiF7V7BbI- EbEb · G · Bb
- CmC · Eb · G
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
How it goes
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Cm – F7 – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CmF7Bb
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Questions about It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
What chords are in It Came Upon The Midnight Clear?
The loop is Eb – Cm – F7 – Bb (IV – ii – V7 – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Cm – F7 – Bb.
What key is It Came Upon The Midnight Clear in?
Bb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in It Came Upon The Midnight Clear?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is It Came Upon The Midnight Clear 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.