Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: C – G7 – C – G7
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIG7V7CIG7V7
- CC · E · G
- G7G · B · D · F
222 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll rocker
The left hand rocks between two shapes, straight out of the 1950s. Musicians call it rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 262 songs of the library.
Rock’n’roll rockerBoogie & shuffle · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handMedium
3
Right hand: Springy chords
A quick double skip at the start, then steady chords to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Springy chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 140 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

What chords are in Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree?

The loop is C – G7 – C – G7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.

What key is Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree in?

C major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree?

Rock’n’roll rocker: rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.