Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Rock Candy on piano
By Jack McDuff
- Db major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1963
- Easy
Learn Rock Candy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dbm – Gb7 – Dbm – Ebm
Rock Candy sits in Db major: Db is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dbm is Db, Fb and Ab; Gb7 is Gb, Bb, Db and Fb; Ebm is Eb, Gb and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbmiGb7IV7DbmiEbmii- DbmDb · Fb · Ab
- Gb7Gb · Bb · Db · Fb
- EbmEb · Gb · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. 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: Gb – Ab – Db
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GbAbDb- GbGb · Bb · Db
- AbAb · C · Eb
- DbDb · F · Ab
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Questions about Rock Candy
What chords are in Rock Candy?
The loop is Dbm – Gb7 – Dbm – Ebm (i – IV7 – i – ii) in Db major, and the song ends on Gb – Ab – Db.
What key is Rock Candy in?
Db major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Rock Candy?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rock Candy 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.