Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Reaching For The Moon on piano
Written by Irving Berlin
- Ab major
- 3/4
- 135 BPM
- 1930
- Easy
Learn Reaching For The Moon in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb7 – Abm – Bb7 – Eb7
Reaching For The Moon sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; Abm is Ab, Cb and Eb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Eb7V7AbmiBb7II7Eb7V7- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- AbmAb · Cb · Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 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: Waltz bells
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 135 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 – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
Play next
Questions about Reaching For The Moon
What chords are in Reaching For The Moon?
The loop is Eb7 – Abm – Bb7 – Eb7 (V7 – i – II7 – V7) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Reaching For The Moon in?
Ab major, at about 135 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Reaching For The Moon?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Reaching For The Moon 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.