Piano chords · Rock drive
Once In Royal David’s City: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Cecil F. Alexander
- G major
- 4/4
- 95 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Once In Royal David’s City written out as piano music: the V7 – I – V7 – I loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays power fifths (lh power fifths) and the right hand pausing chords.
Once In Royal David’s City chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D7 | V7 | D F# A C |
| 2 | G | I | G B D |
| 3 | D7 | V7 | D F# A C |
| 4 | G | I | G B D |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: power fifths (lh power fifths) in the left hand and pausing chords in the right, over the D7 – G – D7 – G chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
Play next
Questions about Once In Royal David’s City
Does the sheet music for Once In Royal David’s City have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Once In Royal David’s City?
The loop is D7 – G – D7 – G (V7 – I – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on G – D7 – G.
What key is Once In Royal David’s City in?
G major, at about 95 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Once In Royal David’s City?
Power fifths: lh power fifths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Once In Royal David’s City 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.