Songbird Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Songbird in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: C7 – F – C7 – F
Songbird sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7FIC7V7FI
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
414 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 songs of the library.
Gentle rockingBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Sleep-in chords
Quiet for half the bar, then three chords wake up near the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Sleep-in chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 105 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: F – C7 – F
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FC7F

What chords are in Songbird?

The loop is C7 – F – C7 – F (V7 – I – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on F – C7 – F.

What key is Songbird in?

F major, at about 105 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Songbird?

Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Songbird 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.