Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Once Upon A Dream on piano
By James Newton Howard
- F major
- 3/4
- 120 BPM
- I–iii–I–iii loop
- 1952
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Once Upon A Dream in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Am – F – Am
How it goes
Once Upon A Dream sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIAmiiiFIAmiii- FF · A · C
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz bells
How it goes
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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 – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FC7F- C7C · E · G · Bb
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Questions about Once Upon A Dream
What chords are in Once Upon A Dream?
The loop is F – Am – F – Am (I – iii – I – iii) in F major, and the song ends on F – C7 – F.
What key is Once Upon A Dream in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Once Upon A Dream?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Once Upon A Dream 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.