Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Root Beer Rag on piano

Tuning the piano…

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Learn Root Beer Rag in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: C – F – C – F
Root Beer Rag sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVCIFIV
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
782 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Walking roots
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Walking rootsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Steady chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
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: D7 – G7 – C
The last chords are II7 – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
D7G7C
- D7D · F# · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F

What chords are in Root Beer Rag?

The loop is C – F – C – F (I – IV – I – IV) in C major, and the song ends on D7 – G7 – C.

What key is Root Beer Rag in?

C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Root Beer Rag?

Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Root Beer Rag 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.