Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Strawberry Letter 23 on piano
By The Brothers Johnson
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 91 BPM
- Medium
Learn Strawberry Letter 23 in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ab – Eb – Ab
Strawberry Letter 23 sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIVAbbVIIEbIVAbbVII- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Tick-tick-boom pulse
Two quick low notes and a high one, twice: ta-ta-DUM, ta-ta-DUM. Musicians call it root bass · 8ths 1-2, 3-4 (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 479 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 91 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Strawberry Letter 23
What chords are in Strawberry Letter 23?
The loop is Eb – Ab – Eb – Ab (IV – bVII – IV – bVII) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Strawberry Letter 23 in?
Bb major, at about 91 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Strawberry Letter 23?
Tick-tick-boom pulse: root bass · 8ths 1-2, 3-4, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Strawberry Letter 23 easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.