Piano chords · Old-time stride
New Orleans Blues: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 135 BPM
- 1925
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
New Orleans Blues written out as piano music: the #ivo – I – V7 – I loop in Bb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays stride jumps (stride), and the right hand sings the tune.
New Orleans Blues chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Bb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edim | #iv° | E G Bb |
| 2 | Bb | I | Bb D F |
| 3 | F7 | V7 | F A C Eb |
| 4 | Bb | I | Bb D F |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: stride jumps (stride) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Edim – Bb – F7 – Bb chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about New Orleans Blues
Does the sheet music for New Orleans Blues have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in New Orleans Blues?
The loop is Edim – Bb – F7 – Bb (#ivo – I – V7 – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is New Orleans Blues in?
Bb major, at about 135 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in New Orleans Blues?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is New Orleans Blues 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.