Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play It's Christmas on piano
By Eric Clapton
- E major
- 4/4
- 126 BPM
- 2014
- Medium
Learn It's Christmas in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – G – A – D
It's Christmas sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; G is G, B and D; A is A, C# and E; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIGbIIIAIVDbVII- EE · G# · B
- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Late-hop footsteps
Steady low-high steps with one quick extra hop after beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 659 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Rocking thirds
Two neighbouring chord notes rocking back and forth, soft and sweet. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 126 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: A – B – E
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- BB · D# · F#
Play next
Questions about It's Christmas
What chords are in It's Christmas?
The loop is E – G – A – D (I – bIII – IV – bVII) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is It's Christmas in?
E major, at about 126 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in It's Christmas?
Late-hop footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is It's Christmas easy to play on piano?
It is a medium 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.