Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Jamaica Nice on piano
By Yellowman
- F major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- I–bVII–I–bVII loop
- 1984
- Medium
Learn Jamaica Nice in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Eb – F – Eb
Jamaica Nice sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIEbbVIIFIEbbVII- FF · A · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Double island pulse
The island rhythm squeezed in twice per bar: quick and dancy. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3 · 3a · 4& (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 122 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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 Jamaica Nice
What chords are in Jamaica Nice?
The loop is F – Eb – F – Eb (I – bVII – I – bVII) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Jamaica Nice in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Jamaica Nice?
Double island pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3 · 3a · 4&, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Jamaica Nice 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.