Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Shrimp Boats on piano
By Jo Stafford
- Eb major
- 3/4
- 120 BPM
- IV–I–ii–I loop
- Easy
Learn Shrimp Boats in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Eb – Fm – Eb
Shrimp Boats sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIVEbIFmiiEbI- AbAb · C · Eb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Sliding twins
Two notes together step down beat by beat, like a hymn closing. Musicians call it lh power fifths (3/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 258 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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 – Fm – Eb
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFmEb
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Questions about Shrimp Boats
What chords are in Shrimp Boats?
The loop is Ab – Eb – Fm – Eb (IV – I – ii – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Fm – Eb.
What key is Shrimp Boats in?
Eb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Shrimp Boats?
Sliding twins: lh power fifths (3/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Shrimp Boats 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.