Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Midnight Train To Georgia on piano
Written by Jim Weatherly
- F major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1971
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Midnight Train To Georgia in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F – Am – Gm
How it goes
Midnight Train To Georgia sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Am is A, C and E; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIVFIAmiiiGmii- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- AmA · C · E
- GmG · Bb · D
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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 90 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
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Questions about Midnight Train To Georgia
What chords are in Midnight Train To Georgia?
The loop is Bb – F – Am – Gm (IV – I – iii – ii) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Midnight Train To Georgia in?
F major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Midnight Train To Georgia?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Midnight Train To Georgia 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.