Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Sukiyaki on piano
By 4 P.M.
- A major
- 4/4
- 75 BPM
- 1961
- Easy
Learn Sukiyaki in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – A – Bm – A
Sukiyaki sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EVAIBmiiAI- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
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: Cartwheel chords
Five evenly spaced chords roll across the beats, then land on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 75 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
Play next
Questions about Sukiyaki
What chords are in Sukiyaki?
The loop is E – A – Bm – A (V – I – ii – I) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Sukiyaki in?
A major, at about 75 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Sukiyaki?
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 Sukiyaki 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.