Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Lay Down Sally on piano
Artist unknown
- A major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- IV–V–I–IV loop
- Easy
Learn Lay Down Sally in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – E – A – D
Lay Down Sally sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIVEVAIDIV- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Rockabilly wiggle
Root, a skip down, a step down and back up: a rockabilly shake. Musicians call it broken chord 8-6-5-6 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 76 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 160 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA
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Questions about Lay Down Sally
What chords are in Lay Down Sally?
The loop is D – E – A – D (IV – V – I – IV) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Lay Down Sally in?
A major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lay Down Sally?
Rockabilly wiggle: broken chord 8-6-5-6, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lay Down Sally 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.