Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Samson In New Orleans on piano
- Db major
- 4/4
- 56 BPM
- 2014
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Samson In New Orleans in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Db – F7 – Bbm – Gb
How it goes
Samson In New Orleans sits in Db major: Db is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Db is Db, F and Ab; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Gb is Gb, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbIF7III7BbmviGbIV- DbDb · F · Ab
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbmBb · Db · F
- GbGb · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Ticking clock
How it goes
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 56 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: Bbm – Ab – Db
How it goes
The last chords are vi – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbmAbDb- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about Samson In New Orleans
What chords are in Samson In New Orleans?
The loop is Db – F7 – Bbm – Gb (I – III7 – vi – IV) in Db major, and the song ends on Bbm – Ab – Db.
What key is Samson In New Orleans in?
Db major, at about 56 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Samson In New Orleans?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Samson In New Orleans 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.