Piano chords · Waltz garden
Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time): piano accompaniment sheet music
By Elton John
- Bb major
- 3/4
- 135 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time) written out as piano music: the vi – II7 – vi – II7 loop in Bb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays oom-pah-pah (waltz oom-pah-pah), and the right hand sings the tune.
Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time) chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Bb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gm | vi | G Bb D |
| 3 | C7 | II7 | C E G Bb |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: oom-pah-pah (waltz oom-pah-pah) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Gm – Gm – C7 – C7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time)
Does the sheet music for Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time) have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time)?
The loop is Gm – Gm – C7 – C7 (vi – II7 – vi – II7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – Eb – Bb.
What key is Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time) in?
Bb major, at about 135 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time)?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time) 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 Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time)?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening 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.