Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Merry Go Round: easy piano accompaniment in letter notes
Written by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally & others
- G major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- I–vi–IV–I loop
- 2012
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The accompaniment with every note named, bar by bar: the bar sheet shows each note as a bar on the staff with its letter inside, so you can accompany Merry Go Round without reading music. The left hand plays hopscotch steps (root bass · 1 · 2 · 4) and the right hand skipping-stone chords.
The intro of Merry Go Round in letter notes
The real notes from a score, both hands, bar by bar. R is the right hand, L the left; C4 is middle C.
Merry Go Round accompaniment in letter notes
The G – Em – C – G loop with hopscotch steps in the left hand and skipping-stone chords in the right. Notes struck together are joined with a plus; C4 is middle C.
How to read the bar sheet
The player above shows the treble staff (right hand) over the bass staff (left hand). Every note is a bar as long as it sounds, at its place on the staff, with its name inside, and the music scrolls past a line that marks now. The chord names run along the top.
Start with the left hand alone at a slow speed, then the right, then both. When the letters feel easy, try the sheet music.
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Questions about Merry Go Round
What are the letter notes for the Merry Go Round piano accompaniment?
Bar by bar, both hands: the bar sheet on this page names every note of the accompaniment (C4 is middle C) and plays along. The loop is G – Em – C – G, so the letters repeat with the chords.
What chords are in Merry Go Round?
The loop is G – Em – C – G (I – vi – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on G – Em – G.
What key is Merry Go Round in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Merry Go Round?
Hopscotch steps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Merry Go Round 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Merry Go Round?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro 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.