Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play John Henry on piano
- D major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn John Henry in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – D – Bm – D
How it goes
John Henry sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; 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.
CbVIIDIBmviDI- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 BPM
How it goes
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
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DGD- GG · B · D
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Questions about John Henry
What chords are in John Henry?
The loop is C – D – Bm – D (bVII – I – vi – I) in D major, and the song ends on D – G – D.
What key is John Henry in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in John Henry?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is John Henry 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.