Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Tennessee on piano
By Cory Chisel And The Wandering Sons
- B major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–IV–I–V loop
- 2009
- Easy
Learn Tennessee in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: B – E – B – F#
Tennessee sits in B major: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: B is B, D# and F#; E is E, G# and B; F# is F#, A# and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BIEIVBIF#V- BB · D# · F#
- EE · G# · B
- F#F# · A# · C#
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. 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: B – E – B
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BEB
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Questions about Tennessee
What chords are in Tennessee?
The loop is B – E – B – F# (I – IV – I – V) in B major, and the song ends on B – E – B.
What key is Tennessee in?
B major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Tennessee?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tennessee 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.