Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Messing About On The River on piano
By Josh McCrae
- F major
- 3/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Learn Messing About On The River in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – C – Bb – C7
Messing About On The River sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G; Bb is Bb, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FICVBbIVC7V7- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- BbBb · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz bells
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: F – C – F
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FCF
Questions about Messing About On The River
What chords are in Messing About On The River?
The loop is F – C – Bb – C7 (I – V – IV – V7) in F major, and the song ends on F – C – F.
What key is Messing About On The River in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Messing About On The River?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Messing About On The River 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.