Joseph’s Lullaby Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Joseph’s Lullaby in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Cm – Bb – Eb – Ab
Joseph’s Lullaby sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmviBbVEbIAbIV
- CmC · Eb · G
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
54 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Round-trip ripple
Climbs to the octave and comes straight back home, then rests. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5-1 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 123 songs of the library.
Round-trip rippleBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Deep-breath chords
A breath on beat 1, then quick chords pumping to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Deep-breath chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handMedium
4
Both hands at 72 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb

What chords are in Joseph’s Lullaby?

The loop is Cm – Bb – Eb – Ab (vi – V – I – IV) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.

What key is Joseph’s Lullaby in?

Eb major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Joseph’s Lullaby?

Round-trip ripple: broken chord 1-5-8-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Joseph’s Lullaby easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.