Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play O Holy Night on piano
By Yolanda Adams
- A major
- 6/8
- 98 BPM
- V7–I–I7–IV loop
- Easy
Learn O Holy Night in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E7 – A – A7 – D
O Holy Night sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E7 is E, G#, B and D; A is A, C# and E; A7 is A, C#, E and G; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
E7V7AIA7I7DIV- E7E · G# · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- A7A · C# · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Cradle pulse
A deep note, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 160 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Cradle chords
A chord, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 98 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- EE · G# · B
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Questions about O Holy Night
What chords are in O Holy Night?
The loop is E7 – A – A7 – D (V7 – I – I7 – IV) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is O Holy Night in?
A major, at about 98 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in O Holy Night?
Cradle pulse: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is O Holy Night 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.