Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Piccolo Pete on piano
Written by Phil Baxter
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1929
- Easy
Learn Piccolo Pete in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – Gbm – Fm – Gbm
Piccolo Pete sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; Gbm is Gb, Bbb and Db; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiiGbmbiiiFmiiGbmbiii- GmG · Bb · D
- GbmGb · Bbb · Db
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Eb – Bb – Eb
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBbEb- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Piccolo Pete
What chords are in Piccolo Pete?
The loop is Gm – Gbm – Fm – Gbm (iii – biii – ii – biii) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb – Eb.
What key is Piccolo Pete in?
Eb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Piccolo Pete?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Piccolo Pete 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.