Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Swing Down, Sweet Chariot on piano
- F major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Learn Swing Down, Sweet Chariot in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – C7 – F7 – Bb
Swing Down, Sweet Chariot sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIC7V7F7I7BbIV- FF · A · C
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: G7 – C7 – F
The last chords are II7 – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
G7C7F- G7G · B · D · F
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Questions about Swing Down, Sweet Chariot
What chords are in Swing Down, Sweet Chariot?
The loop is F – C7 – F7 – Bb (I – V7 – I7 – IV) in F major, and the song ends on G7 – C7 – F.
What key is Swing Down, Sweet Chariot in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Swing Down, Sweet Chariot?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Swing Down, Sweet Chariot 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.