Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Rosanna on piano
By Toto
- G major
- 4/4
- 135 BPM
- 1982
- Easy
Learn Rosanna in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gsus4 – G7 – Gsus4 – G7
Rosanna sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gsus4 is G, C and D; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Gsus4Isus4G7I7Gsus4Isus4G7I7- Gsus4G · C · D
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 135 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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Rosanna
What chords are in Rosanna?
The loop is Gsus4 – G7 – Gsus4 – G7 (Isus – I7 – Isus – I7) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Rosanna in?
G major, at about 135 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Rosanna?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rosanna 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.