Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Sunny Afternoon on piano
By The Kinks
- F major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1966
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Sunny Afternoon in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A7 – Dm – Bb – Dm
How it goes
Sunny Afternoon sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7III7DmviBbIVDmvi- A7A · C# · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Doorbell ding-dong
How it goes
Two high, two low, in a lazy push rhythm: ding-ding, dong-dong. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 472 songs of the library.
- 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.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Sunny Afternoon
What chords are in Sunny Afternoon?
The loop is A7 – Dm – Bb – Dm (III7 – vi – IV – vi) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Sunny Afternoon in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Sunny Afternoon?
Doorbell ding-dong: broken chord 8-8-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Sunny Afternoon 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.