Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Oklahoma Hills on piano
Written by Woody Guthrie & Jack Guthrie
- E major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- V7–I–IV–I loop
- 1945
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Oklahoma Hills in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: B7 – E – A – E
How it goes
Oklahoma Hills sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: B7 is B, D#, F# and A; E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
B7V7EIAIVEI- B7B · D# · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Hopscotch steps
How it goes
Step, step, skip a beat, step: like hopping over a square. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 668 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: E – A – E
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EAE
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Questions about Oklahoma Hills
What chords are in Oklahoma Hills?
The loop is B7 – E – A – E (V7 – I – IV – I) in E major, and the song ends on E – A – E.
What key is Oklahoma Hills in?
E major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Oklahoma Hills?
Hopscotch steps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Oklahoma Hills 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.