Super Simple Chords

Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Manhattan on piano

By Dinah Washington

  • F major
  • 2/2
  • 120 BPM
  • Easy
Tuning the piano…
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Style

Left hand Lazy footstepsRight hand Hopscotch bellsChords the loop the song repeats most

Play the full song with sheet music

Learn Manhattan in 5 steps

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

  1. 1

    Chords: C7 – F – G#dim – Gm

    How it goes

    Manhattan sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; G#dim is G#, B and D; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.

    C7V7FIG#dimbiii°Gmii
    • C7C · E · G · Bb
    • FF · A · C
    • G#dimG# · B · D
    • GmG · Bb · D
  2. 2

    Left hand: Lazy footsteps

    How it goes

    One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.

  3. 3

    Right hand: Hopscotch bells

    How it goes

    A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.

  4. 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. 5

    Ending: Bb – C7 – F

    How it goes

    The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.

    BbC7F
    • BbBb · D · F

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Questions about Manhattan

What chords are in Manhattan?

The loop is C7 – F – G#dim – Gm (V7 – I – biiio – ii) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C7 – F.

What key is Manhattan in?

F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Manhattan?

Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Manhattan 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.