Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Murder She Wrote on piano
By John Addison
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- V7–I–vi–ii loop
- Easy
Learn Murder She Wrote in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – C – Am – Dm
Murder She Wrote sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G7V7CIAmviDmii- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: C – G7 – C
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CG7C
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Questions about Murder She Wrote
What chords are in Murder She Wrote?
The loop is G7 – C – Am – Dm (V7 – I – vi – ii) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is Murder She Wrote in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Murder She Wrote?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Murder She Wrote 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.