Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Rocking Chair In Hawaii on piano
- D major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- I–V7–I–I7 loop
- 2002
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Rocking Chair In Hawaii in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A7 – D – D7
How it goes
Rocking Chair In Hawaii sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A7 is A, C#, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIA7V7DID7I7- DD · F# · A
- A7A · C# · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wake-and-run chords
How it goes
One long chord, then three quick ones running into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 BPM
How it goes
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: D – A7 – D
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DA7D
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Questions about Rocking Chair In Hawaii
What chords are in Rocking Chair In Hawaii?
The loop is D – A7 – D – D7 (I – V7 – I – I7) in D major, and the song ends on D – A7 – D.
What key is Rocking Chair In Hawaii in?
D major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Rocking Chair In Hawaii?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rocking Chair In Hawaii 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.