Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Sam’s Song on piano
Written by Lew Quadling
- F major
- 2/2
- 112 BPM
- 1950
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Sam’s Song in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G#dim – F – C7 – F
How it goes
Sam’s Song sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G#dim is G#, B and D; F is F, A and C; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G#dimbiii°FIC7V7FI- G#dimG# · B · D
- FF · A · C
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
How it goes
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: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Sam’s Song
What chords are in Sam’s Song?
The loop is G#dim – F – C7 – F (biiio – I – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Sam’s Song in?
F major, at about 112 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Sam’s Song?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Sam’s Song 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.