Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Old Flame on piano
By Alabama
- F major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- Easy
Learn Old Flame in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F – Gm – F7
Old Flame sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIVFIGmiiF7I7- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Doorbell ding-dong
Two high, two low, in a lazy push rhythm: ding-ding, dong-dong. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 472 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bouncy-ball chords
One chord, then chords bouncing on every “and”, like a ball. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
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Questions about Old Flame
What chords are in Old Flame?
The loop is Bb – F – Gm – F7 (IV – I – ii – I7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Old Flame in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Old Flame?
Doorbell ding-dong: broken chord 8-8-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Old Flame 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.