Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Night Train To Memphis on piano
By Carl Perkins
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- V7–I–I7–IV loop
- 1942
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Night Train To Memphis in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Eb7 – Ab
How it goes
Night Train To Memphis sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIEb7I7AbIV- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
How it goes
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Night Train To Memphis
What chords are in Night Train To Memphis?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Eb7 – Ab (V7 – I – I7 – IV) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Night Train To Memphis in?
Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Night Train To Memphis?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Night Train To Memphis 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.