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Mack The Knife: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Marc Blitzstein
- C major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1928
- Easy
Mack The Knife written out as piano music: the I – ii – ii7 – I – ii loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays lazy footsteps (root bass · 1 · 3 · 4), and the right hand sings the tune.
Mack The Knife chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | I | C E G |
| 3 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 4 | Dm7 | ii7 | D F A C |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: lazy footsteps (root bass · 1 · 3 · 4) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the C – C – Dm – Dm – Dm7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Mack The Knife
Does the sheet music for Mack The Knife have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Mack The Knife?
The loop is C – C – Dm – Dm – Dm7 (I – ii – ii7 – I – ii) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is Mack The Knife in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Mack The Knife?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mack The Knife easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Mack The Knife?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.