Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Sixteen Going On Seventeen on piano
- F major
- 4/4
- 95 BPM
- 1959
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Sixteen Going On Seventeen in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Fdim – F – Bb
How it goes
Sixteen Going On Seventeen sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Fdim is F, Ab and Cb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIFdimi°FIBbIV- FF · A · C
- FdimF · Ab · Cb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Happy wiggle
How it goes
Root, fifth, a step up and back: a cheerful bluesy wiggle. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-6-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 165 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
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 95 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: G7 – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are II7 – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
G7C7F- G7G · B · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
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Questions about Sixteen Going On Seventeen
What chords are in Sixteen Going On Seventeen?
The loop is F – Fdim – F – Bb (I – io – I – IV) in F major, and the song ends on G7 – C7 – F.
What key is Sixteen Going On Seventeen in?
F major, at about 95 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Sixteen Going On Seventeen?
Happy wiggle: broken chord 1-5-6-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Sixteen Going On Seventeen 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.