Piano chords · Classical salon
How to play Please Don’t Drag That String Around on piano
Artist unknown
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- V7–I–IV–I loop
- 1963
- Easy
Learn Please Don’t Drag That String Around in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Ab – Eb
Please Don’t Drag That String Around 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; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIAbIVEbI- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Little steps
Up the chord and back, one step at a time. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5-3 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 304 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 160 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 – Ab – Eb
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbAbEb
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Questions about Please Don’t Drag That String Around
What chords are in Please Don’t Drag That String Around?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Ab – Eb (V7 – I – IV – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Ab – Eb.
What key is Please Don’t Drag That String Around in?
Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Please Don’t Drag That String Around?
Little steps: broken chord 1-3-5-3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Please Don’t Drag That String Around 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.