Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Love Boat Theme on piano

Tuning the piano…

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Learn Love Boat Theme in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb7
Love Boat Theme sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIFmviBbmiiEb7V7
- AbAb · C · Eb
- FmF · Ab · C
- BbmBb · Db · F
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
160 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Island pulseRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Swing push
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Swing pushSyncopated chords · Blues and boogie-woogieRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 100 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: Bbm – Eb7 – Ab
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbmEb7Ab

What chords are in Love Boat Theme?

The loop is Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb7 (I – vi – ii – V7) in Ab major, and the song ends on Bbm – Eb7 – Ab.

What key is Love Boat Theme in?

Ab major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Love Boat Theme?

Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Love Boat Theme 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.