Super Simple Chords

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How to play Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1 on piano

By Dmitri Kabalevsky

  • C major
  • 2/4
  • 72 BPM
  • 1945
  • Medium
Tuning the piano…
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Left hand Oom-pah-pahRight hand Spinning-top chordsChords worked out from the notes of the famous part

Play the full song with sheet music

Learn Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1 in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

  1. 1

    Chords: Em7 – G7 – Eb7 – C

    How it goes

    Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1 sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em7 is E, G, B and D; G7 is G, B, D and F; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.

    Em7iii7G7V7Eb7bIII7CI
    • Em7E · G · B · D
    • G7G · B · D · F
    • Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
    • CC · E · G
  2. 2

    Left hand: Oom-pah-pah

    How it goes

    One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.

    Oom-pah-pahWaltz · WaltzLeft handEasy
  3. 3

    Right hand: Spinning-top chords

    How it goes

    Six even chords in a three-beat bar, spinning round and round. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.

    Spinning-top chordsSyncopated chords · WaltzRight handMedium
  4. 4

    Both hands at 72 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. 5

    Ending: F – G – C

    How it goes

    The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.

    FGC
    • FF · A · C
    • GG · B · D

Questions about Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1

What chords are in Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1?

The loop is Em7 – G7 – Eb7 – C (iii7 – V7 – bIII7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.

What key is Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1 in?

C major, at about 72 beats a minute in 2/4.

What does the left hand play in Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1?

Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1 easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.

Can I hear the real melody of Prelude In C Major, Op. 38, No. 1?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.