Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Sweet Georgia Brown on piano
By Ben Bernie
- G major
- 2/2
- 150 BPM
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Sweet Georgia Brown in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – B7 – Em – B7
How it goes
Sweet Georgia Brown sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; B7 is B, D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmviB7III7EmviB7III7- EmE · G · B
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Power fifths
How it goes
Root and fifth together: big and bold. Musicians call it lh power fifths (left-hand chords), a medium pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Shy chords
How it goes
Waits out beat 1, then a chord on 2 and a little double on 3. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 150 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: G – C – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GCG- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Sweet Georgia Brown
What chords are in Sweet Georgia Brown?
The loop is Em – B7 – Em – B7 (vi – III7 – vi – III7) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is Sweet Georgia Brown in?
G major, at about 150 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Sweet Georgia Brown?
Power fifths: lh power fifths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Sweet Georgia Brown 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Sweet Georgia Brown?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.