Jingle Bells Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Jingle Bells in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: D – Em – D – Em
Jingle Bells sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIEmiiDIEmii
- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
164 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
Ping-pong bounceBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Run-up chords
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Run-up chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD
- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E

What chords are in Jingle Bells?

The loop is D – Em – D – Em (I – ii – I – ii) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.

What key is Jingle Bells in?

D major, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Jingle Bells?

Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Jingle Bells 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.