Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Tangerine on piano
By Jimmy Dorsey
- F major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- VI7–ii–V7–I loop
- 1942
- Easy
Learn Tangerine in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – Gm – C7 – F
Tangerine sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7VI7GmiiC7V7FI- D7D · F# · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Tangerine
What chords are in Tangerine?
The loop is D7 – Gm – C7 – F (VI7 – ii – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Tangerine in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Tangerine?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tangerine 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.