Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Stormy Weather on piano
By Lena Horne
- E minor
- 2/2
- 60 BPM
- 1933
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Stormy Weather in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C#7 – Am – D7 – G – Em7 – Am7 – Em7
How it goes
Stormy Weather sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: G is G, B and D; C#7 is C#, E#, G# and B; Am is A, C and E; D7 is D, F#, A and C; Em7 is E, G, B and D; Am7 is A, C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIIIC#7VI7AmivD7VII7GIIIEm7i7Am7iv7Em7i7- GG · B · D
- C#7C# · E# · G# · B
- AmA · C · E
- D7D · F# · A · C
- Em7E · G · B · D
- Am7A · C · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
How it goes
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 60 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: E – A – E
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EAE- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Stormy Weather
What chords are in Stormy Weather?
The loop is G – C#7 – Am – D7 – G – Em7 – Am7 – Em7 (III – VI7 – iv – VII7 – III – i7 – iv7 – i7) in E minor, and the song ends on E – A – E.
What key is Stormy Weather in?
E minor, at about 60 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Stormy Weather?
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 Stormy Weather easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Stormy Weather?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.