Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Reggae Tune on piano
Artist unknown
- C major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1974
- Easy
Learn Reggae Tune in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Am – G7 – Dm
Reggae Tune sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E; G7 is G, B, D and F; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIAmviG7V7Dmii- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- G7G · B · D · F
- DmD · F · A
- 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: Skipping-stone chords
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. 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: F – G – C
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
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Questions about Reggae Tune
What chords are in Reggae Tune?
The loop is C – Am – G7 – Dm (I – vi – V7 – ii) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Reggae Tune in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Reggae Tune?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Reggae Tune 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.