Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Little Jazz Bird on piano
Written by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin
- G major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- 1924
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Little Jazz Bird in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – G – F# – Dm
How it goes
Little Jazz Bird sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; G is G, B and D; F# is F#, A# and C#; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7V7GIF#VIIDmv- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- F#F# · A# · C#
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Trampoline bounce
How it goes
Root, a jump up, a dip down, a jump up: a country-style bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5-12 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 257 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. 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: C – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Little Jazz Bird
What chords are in Little Jazz Bird?
The loop is D7 – G – F# – Dm (V7 – I – VII – v) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Little Jazz Bird in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Little Jazz Bird?
Trampoline bounce: broken chord 8-12-5-12, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Little Jazz Bird 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.