Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Sixteen Candles on piano
By The Crests
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 85 BPM
- V7–I–I7–IV loop
- Easy
Learn Sixteen Candles in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Eb7 – Ab
Sixteen Candles sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIEb7I7AbIV- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 85 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 – Ab – Eb
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbAbEb
Play next
Questions about Sixteen Candles
What chords are in Sixteen Candles?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Eb7 – Ab (V7 – I – I7 – IV) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Ab – Eb.
What key is Sixteen Candles in?
Eb major, at about 85 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Sixteen Candles?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Sixteen Candles 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.