Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Jingle Bell Rock on piano
By Bobby Helms
- C major
- 2/2
- 136 BPM
- 1957
- Easy
Learn Jingle Bell Rock in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – C – G – C – Em – Dm – G
Jingle Bell Rock sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; Em is E, G and B; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIGVCIGVCIEmiiiDmiiGV- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- EmE · G · B
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 136 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
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Questions about Jingle Bell Rock
What chords are in Jingle Bell Rock?
The loop is C – G – C – G – C – Em – Dm – G (I – V – I – V – I – iii – ii – V) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Jingle Bell Rock in?
C major, at about 136 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Jingle Bell Rock?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Jingle Bell Rock easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Jingle Bell Rock?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.