Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas on piano
Written by Joe Solomon
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- I–V7–I–V7 loop
- 1939
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb7 – Eb – Bb7
How it goes
Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBb7V7EbIBb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
How it goes
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Fm – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FmBb7Eb- FmF · Ab · C
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Questions about Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas
What chords are in Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas?
The loop is Eb – Bb7 – Eb – Bb7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Fm – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas in?
Eb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Let’s Have An Old Fashioned Christmas 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.