Summertime (from Porgy And Bess) Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Summertime (from Porgy And Bess) in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Am – E7 – Am – E7 – Am – E – Am – D
How it goes
Summertime (from Porgy And Bess) sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Am is A, C and E; E7 is E, G#, B and D; E is E, G# and B; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiE7V7AmiE7V7AmiEVAmiDIV
- AmA · C · E
- E7E · G# · B · D
- EE · G# · B
- DD · F# · A
24 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Oom-pah
How it goes
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Oom-pahStride & boom-chick · StrideLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Push chords
How it goes
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Push chordsSyncopated chords · RockRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 92 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm
- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D

What chords are in Summertime (from Porgy And Bess)?

The loop is Am – E7 – Am – E7 – Am – E – Am – D (i – V7 – i – V7 – i – V – i – IV) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.

What key is Summertime (from Porgy And Bess) in?

A minor, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Summertime (from Porgy And Bess)?

Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Summertime (from Porgy And Bess) 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 Summertime (from Porgy And Bess)?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.