Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Oh Happy Day on piano
By Edwin R. Hawkins
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1969
- Easy
Learn Oh Happy Day in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – C
Oh Happy Day sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVGICIV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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 – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Oh Happy Day
What chords are in Oh Happy Day?
The loop is G – C – G – C (I – IV – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Oh Happy Day in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Oh Happy Day?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Oh Happy Day 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.