Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Peter Cottontail on piano
By Jack Rollins
- C major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1950
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Peter Cottontail in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – C#dim – G7 – C
How it goes
Peter Cottontail sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; C#dim is C#, E and G; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G7V7C#dimbii°G7V7CI- G7G · B · D · F
- C#dimC# · E · G
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. 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: 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 Peter Cottontail
What chords are in Peter Cottontail?
The loop is G7 – C#dim – G7 – C (V7 – biio – V7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Peter Cottontail in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Peter Cottontail?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Peter Cottontail 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.