Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Tea For Two on piano
By Irving Caesar
- F major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- 1924
- Easy
Learn Tea For Two in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm7 – C7 – Gm7 – C7 – F – Dm7 – F – Dm7
Tea For Two sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Gm7 is G, Bb, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; Dm7 is D, F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Gm7ii7C7V7Gm7ii7C7V7FIDm7vi7FIDm7vi7- Gm7G · Bb · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- Dm7D · F · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 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 110 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
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Questions about Tea For Two
What chords are in Tea For Two?
The loop is Gm7 – C7 – Gm7 – C7 – F – Dm7 – F – Dm7 (ii7 – V7 – ii7 – V7 – I – vi7 – I – vi7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Tea For Two in?
F major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Tea For Two?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tea For Two 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 Tea For Two?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.