Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Play A Simple Melody on piano
By Bing Crosby
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Play A Simple Melody in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – F#dim – Bb7
How it goes
Play A Simple Melody sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; F#dim is F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIF#dimbiii°Bb7V7- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- F#dimF# · A · C
- 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: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Play A Simple Melody
What chords are in Play A Simple Melody?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – F#dim – Bb7 (V7 – I – biiio – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Play A Simple Melody in?
Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Play A Simple Melody?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Play A Simple Melody 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.