Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Rain on piano
By Brian Crain
- F major
- 3/4
- 106 BPM
- 2009
- Easy
Learn Rain in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – C7 – Eb – Gm
Rain sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmviC7V7EbbVIIGmii- DmD · F · A
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- GmG · Bb · D
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
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.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 106 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
Questions about Rain
What chords are in Rain?
The loop is Dm – C7 – Eb – Gm (vi – V7 – bVII – ii) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Rain in?
F major, at about 106 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Rain?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rain 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 Rain?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the bass riff of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.