Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Kumbaya on piano
Artist unknown
- C major
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- 2000
- Easy
Learn Kumbaya in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – C – Em – F
Kumbaya sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G; Em is E, G and B; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G7V7CIEmiiiFIV- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- EmE · G · B
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 88 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: C – F – C
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC
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Questions about Kumbaya
What chords are in Kumbaya?
The loop is G7 – C – Em – F (V7 – I – iii – IV) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Kumbaya in?
C major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Kumbaya?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Kumbaya 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.