Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Royal Garden Blues on piano
Written by Clarence Williams & Spencer Williams
- F major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 2012
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Royal Garden Blues in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F7 – Bb – F7
How it goes
Royal Garden Blues sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIVF7I7BbIVF7I7- BbBb · D · F
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll rocker
How it goes
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.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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: G7 – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are II7 – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
G7C7F- G7G · B · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Royal Garden Blues
What chords are in Royal Garden Blues?
The loop is Bb – F7 – Bb – F7 (IV – I7 – IV – I7) in F major, and the song ends on G7 – C7 – F.
What key is Royal Garden Blues in?
F major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Royal Garden Blues?
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 Royal Garden Blues 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.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.