Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play One Boy (Girl) on piano
Written by Charles Strouse
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn One Boy (Girl) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Em – Dm – G7
How it goes
One Boy (Girl) sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Em is E, G and B; Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIEmiiiDmiiG7V7- CC · E · G
- EmE · G · B
- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
How it goes
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: C – F – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC- FF · A · C
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Questions about One Boy (Girl)
What chords are in One Boy (Girl)?
The loop is C – Em – Dm – G7 (I – iii – ii – V7) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is One Boy (Girl) in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in One Boy (Girl)?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is One Boy (Girl) 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.