Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play O Come, Little Children on piano
By C. von Schmidt
- Eb major
- 2/4
- 76 BPM
- I–V7–I–V7 loop
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn O Come, Little Children in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb7 – Eb – Bb7
How it goes
O Come, Little Children sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBb7V7EbIBb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Little march
How it goes
A chord, then a single low note: left, right, like a little march. Musicians call it lh chords (2/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 278 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Marching chords
How it goes
Two chords per bar, left-right, like a happy little march. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 76 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: Fm – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FmBb7Eb- FmF · Ab · C
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Questions about O Come, Little Children
What chords are in O Come, Little Children?
The loop is Eb – Bb7 – Eb – Bb7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Fm – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is O Come, Little Children in?
Eb major, at about 76 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in O Come, Little Children?
Little march: lh chords (2/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is O Come, Little Children 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.