Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Soft Shoe Song (The Dance My Darlin' Used To Do) on piano

By Roy Jordan

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Soft Shoe Song (The Dance My Darlin' Used To Do) in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: A7 – D7 – A7 – D7
How it goes
Soft Shoe Song (The Dance My Darlin' Used To Do) sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7II7D7V7A7II7D7V7
- A7A · C# · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
How it goes
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.
Pausing footstepsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
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.
Steady chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 132 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: G – D7 – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GD7G
- GG · B · D

What chords are in Soft Shoe Song (The Dance My Darlin' Used To Do)?

The loop is A7 – D7 – A7 – D7 (II7 – V7 – II7 – V7) in G major, and the song ends on G – D7 – G.

What key is Soft Shoe Song (The Dance My Darlin' Used To Do) in?

G major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Soft Shoe Song (The Dance My Darlin' Used To Do)?

Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Soft Shoe Song (The Dance My Darlin' Used To Do) 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.