Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Mama’s Pearl on piano
Written by Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell & others
- F major
- 4/4
- 104 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1970
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Mama’s Pearl in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Bb – F – Bb
How it goes
Mama’s Pearl sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIBbIVFIBbIV- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Boogie walker
How it goes
A walking line that climbs and falls through the chord. Musicians call it boogie-woogie line (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 807 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 104 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: F – Bb – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FBbF
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Questions about Mama’s Pearl
What chords are in Mama’s Pearl?
The loop is F – Bb – F – Bb (I – IV – I – IV) in F major, and the song ends on F – Bb – F.
What key is Mama’s Pearl in?
F major, at about 104 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Mama’s Pearl?
Boogie walker: boogie-woogie line, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mama’s Pearl easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.