Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Old Time Rock & Roll on piano
Artist unknown
- G major
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- 1983
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Old Time Rock & Roll in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – C – C – D
How it goes
Old Time Rock & Roll sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is 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.
CIVCIVCIVDV- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll rocker
How it goes
The left hand rocks between two shapes, straight out of the 1950s. Musicians call it rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 262 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
How it goes
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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: G – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GDG- GG · B · D
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Questions about Old Time Rock & Roll
What chords are in Old Time Rock & Roll?
The loop is C – C – C – D (IV – V – IV – V) in G major, and the song ends on G – D – G.
What key is Old Time Rock & Roll in?
G major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Old Time Rock & Roll?
Rock’n’roll rocker: rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Old Time Rock & Roll 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Old Time Rock & Roll?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.