Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Show Off on piano
Artist unknown
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–IV7–I–IV7 loop
- 1999
- Easy
Learn Show Off in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Eb7 – Bb – Eb7
Show Off sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEb7IV7BbIEb7IV7- BbBb · D · F
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- 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: Steady chords
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 100 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Show Off
What chords are in Show Off?
The loop is Bb – Eb7 – Bb – Eb7 (I – IV7 – I – IV7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Show Off in?
Bb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Show Off?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Show Off 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.