Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Puttin' On The Ritz on piano
- F minor
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1928
- Easy
Learn Puttin' On The Ritz in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fm – Gm – C7 – Fm
Puttin' On The Ritz sits in F minor: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmiGmiiC7V7Fmi- FmF · Ab · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 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: Bouncy-ball chords
One chord, then chords bouncing on every “and”, like a ball. 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: Db – Eb – Fm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbFm- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Puttin' On The Ritz
What chords are in Puttin' On The Ritz?
The loop is Fm – Gm – C7 – Fm (i – ii – V7 – i) in F minor, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Fm.
What key is Puttin' On The Ritz in?
F minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Puttin' On The Ritz?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Puttin' On The Ritz 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Puttin' On The Ritz?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 6 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.