Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Slap That Bass on piano
Written by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- 1936
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Slap That Bass in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab7 – Cb7 – Ab7 – F7
How it goes
Slap That Bass sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab7 is Ab, C, Eb and Gb; Cb7 is Cb, Eb, Gb and Bbb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Ab7IV7Cb7bVI7Ab7IV7F7II7- Ab7Ab · C · Eb · Gb
- Cb7Cb · Eb · Gb · Bbb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Marching giant
How it goes
Thick three-note chords on every beat, rocking between two shapes. Musicians call it lh triads (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skip-and-stroll chords
How it goes
A skippy push at the start, then calm chords on 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Slap That Bass
What chords are in Slap That Bass?
The loop is Ab7 – Cb7 – Ab7 – F7 (IV7 – bVI7 – IV7 – II7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Slap That Bass in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Slap That Bass?
Marching giant: lh triads, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Slap That Bass 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.