Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Once Upon A Christmas on piano
By Dolly Parton
- A minor
- 4/4
- 66 BPM
- 1984
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Once Upon A Christmas in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – C – Am – G
How it goes
Once Upon A Christmas sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiCIIIAmiGVII- AmA · C · E
- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Marching giant
How it goes
Thick three-note chords on every beat, rocking between two shapes. Musicians call it lh triads (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
How it goes
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 66 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
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Questions about Once Upon A Christmas
What chords are in Once Upon A Christmas?
The loop is Am – C – Am – G (i – bIII – i – bVII) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Once Upon A Christmas in?
A minor, at about 66 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Once Upon A Christmas?
Marching giant: lh triads, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Once Upon A Christmas 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.