Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Merry Christmas, Darling on piano
By Carpenters
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Learn Merry Christmas, Darling in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F7 – Bb – Cm – Bb
Merry Christmas, Darling sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F7V7BbICmiiBbI- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: C7 – F7 – Bb
The last chords are II7 – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
C7F7Bb- C7C · E · G · Bb
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Questions about Merry Christmas, Darling
What chords are in Merry Christmas, Darling?
The loop is F7 – Bb – Cm – Bb (V7 – I – ii – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on C7 – F7 – Bb.
What key is Merry Christmas, Darling in?
Bb major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Merry Christmas, Darling?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Merry Christmas, Darling 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 6 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.