Mr. Tambourine Man Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Mr. Tambourine Man in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: F – Bb – F – Bb
How it goes
Mr. Tambourine Man sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIBbIVFIBbIV
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
782 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Mozart murmur
How it goes
Low, high, middle, high, over and over: the Mozart murmur. Musicians call it alberti bass 1-5-3-5 (alberti bass), a medium pattern heard in 186 songs of the library.
Mozart murmurAlberti bass · ClassicalLeft handMedium
3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Hopscotch chordsBlock chords · StrideRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 160 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

What chords are in Mr. Tambourine Man?

The loop is F – Bb – F – Bb (I – IV – I – IV) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.

What key is Mr. Tambourine Man in?

F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Mr. Tambourine Man?

Mozart murmur: alberti bass 1-5-3-5, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Mr. Tambourine Man easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.