Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Jerusalem on piano
By Hubert Parry
- D major
- 3/4
- 92 BPM
- 1998
- Easy
Learn Jerusalem in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – G – D – Bm – G – D
Jerusalem sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVDIGIVDIBmviGIVDI- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Sliding twins
Two notes together step down beat by beat, like a hymn closing. Musicians call it lh power fifths (3/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 258 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleepy waltz chords
A long chord, then a double on beat 3: a lazy, rocking waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 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: D – G – D
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DGD
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Questions about Jerusalem
What chords are in Jerusalem?
The loop is G – D – G – D – Bm – G – D (IV – I – IV – I – vi – IV – I) in D major, and the song ends on D – G – D.
What key is Jerusalem in?
D major, at about 92 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Jerusalem?
Sliding twins: lh power fifths (3/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Jerusalem easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Jerusalem?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 6 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.