Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
Philadelphia: easy piano accompaniment in letter notes
By Neil Young
- Bb major
- 12/8
- 120 BPM
- IV–V–I–vi loop
- Easy
The accompaniment with every note named, bar by bar: the bar sheet shows each note as a bar on the staff with its letter inside, so you can accompany Philadelphia without reading music. The left hand plays rocking chair (rocking octaves (12/8)) and the right hand slow-dance chords.
Philadelphia accompaniment in letter notes
The Eb – F – Bb – Gm loop with rocking chair in the left hand and slow-dance chords in the right. Notes struck together are joined with a plus; C4 is middle C.
How to read the bar sheet
The player above shows the treble staff (right hand) over the bass staff (left hand). Every note is a bar as long as it sounds, at its place on the staff, with its name inside, and the music scrolls past a line that marks now. The chord names run along the top.
Start with the left hand alone at a slow speed, then the right, then both. When the letters feel easy, try the sheet music.
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Questions about Philadelphia
What are the letter notes for the Philadelphia piano accompaniment?
Bar by bar, both hands: the bar sheet on this page names every note of the accompaniment (C4 is middle C) and plays along. The loop is Eb – F – Bb – Gm, so the letters repeat with the chords.
What chords are in Philadelphia?
The loop is Eb – F – Bb – Gm (IV – V – I – vi) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Philadelphia in?
Bb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Philadelphia?
Rocking chair: rocking octaves (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Philadelphia 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.