Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Ruby, My Dear on piano
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 1945
- Easy
Learn Ruby, My Dear in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fm – Bb7 – Eb – Fm
Ruby, My Dear sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmviBb7II7EbVFmvi- FmF · Ab · C
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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: Db – Eb – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about Ruby, My Dear
What chords are in Ruby, My Dear?
The loop is Fm – Bb7 – Eb – Fm (vi – II7 – V – vi) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Ruby, My Dear in?
Ab major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Ruby, My Dear?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Ruby, My Dear 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.