Piano chords · Film & wonder
How to play Scenes From An Italian Restaurant on piano
By Billy Joel
- F major
- 4/4
- 84 BPM
- 1977
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Scenes From An Italian Restaurant in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – Am – C – Dm – F – F
How it goes
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; Am is A, C and E; C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiAmiiiCVDmviFIFI- GmG · Bb · D
- AmA · C · E
- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Thunder tremolo
How it goes
An octave shaking fast: thunder and suspense. Musicians call it octave tremolo (tremolo), a tricky pattern heard in 150 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 84 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
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Questions about Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
What chords are in Scenes From An Italian Restaurant?
The loop is Gm – Am – C – Dm – F – F (ii – iii – V – vi – I – ii) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Scenes From An Italian Restaurant in?
F major, at about 84 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Scenes From An Italian Restaurant?
Thunder tremolo: octave tremolo, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Scenes From An Italian Restaurant easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 6 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Scenes From An Italian Restaurant?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.