Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Jay Bird on piano
By J.J. Johnson
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- I–vi–ii–V7 loop
- 1949
- Easy
Learn Jay Bird in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb7
Jay Bird sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIFmviBbmiiEb7V7- AbAb · C · Eb
- FmF · Ab · C
- BbmBb · Db · F
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 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 160 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: Db – Eb – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Jay Bird
What chords are in Jay Bird?
The loop is Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb7 (I – vi – ii – V7) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Jay Bird in?
Ab major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Jay Bird?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Jay Bird 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.