Once Upon A Summertime Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Once Upon A Summertime in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: C7 – F – Dm – Gm
Once Upon A Summertime sits in F minor: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7FIDmviGmii
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- GmG · Bb · D
34 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Waltz stride
A deep bass, a chord above, then the octave: a leaping waltz. Musicians call it stride (3/4) (stride & boom-chick), a medium pattern heard in 215 songs of the library.
Waltz strideStride & boom-chick · WaltzLeft handMedium
3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
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: Gm – C7 – F
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmC7F

What chords are in Once Upon A Summertime?

The loop is C7 – F – Dm – Gm (V7 – I – vi – ii) in F minor, and the song ends on Gm – C7 – F.

What key is Once Upon A Summertime in?

F minor, at about 110 beats a minute in 3/4.

What does the left hand play in Once Upon A Summertime?

Waltz stride: stride (3/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Once Upon A Summertime 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.