Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Ring Them Bells on piano
Artist unknown
- F major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Learn Ring Them Bells in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – Dm – G7 – C7
Ring Them Bells sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7DmviG7II7C7V7- C7C · E · G · Bb
- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- 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: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. 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: 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
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Questions about Ring Them Bells
What chords are in Ring Them Bells?
The loop is C7 – Dm – G7 – C7 (V7 – vi – II7 – V7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Ring Them Bells in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Ring Them Bells?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Ring Them Bells 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.