Piano chords · Blues & boogie
St. Louis Blues: piano accompaniment sheet music
By W.C. Handy
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1990
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
St. Louis Blues written out as piano music: the V7 – IV7 – vi7 – I – IV – I – V7 loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays velvet jazz (lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3)) and the right hand wait-a-beat chords.
St. Louis Blues chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D7 | V7 | D F# A C |
| 1 | C7 | IV7 | C E G Bb |
| 2 | Em7 | vi7 | E G B D |
| 2 | G | I | G B D |
| 3 | C | IV | C E G |
| 4 | G | I | G B D |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: velvet jazz (lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3)) in the left hand and wait-a-beat chords in the right, over the D7 – C7 – Em7 – G – G – C – G chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about St. Louis Blues
Does the sheet music for St. Louis Blues have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in St. Louis Blues?
The loop is D7 – C7 – Em7 – G – G – C – G (V7 – IV7 – vi7 – I – IV – I – V7) in G major, and the song ends on G – D – G.
What key is St. Louis Blues in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in St. Louis Blues?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is St. Louis Blues easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of St. Louis Blues?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.