Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Old MacDonald on piano
By Traditional
- F major
- 2/4
- 110 BPM
- I–IV–I–V7 loop
- Medium
Learn Old MacDonald in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Bb – F – C7
Old MacDonald sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIBbIVFIC7V7- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Toy-soldier march
A bright two-note chord, then the low root: a toy soldier’s left-right. Musicians call it lh triads (2/4) (left-hand chords), a medium pattern heard in 205 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Clockwork chords
Four quick, even chords per short bar, ticking like clockwork. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: F – C7 – F
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FC7F
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Questions about Old MacDonald
What chords are in Old MacDonald?
The loop is F – Bb – F – C7 (I – IV – I – V7) in F major, and the song ends on F – C7 – F.
What key is Old MacDonald in?
F major, at about 110 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Old MacDonald?
Toy-soldier march: lh triads (2/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Old MacDonald easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.