Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Tennessee Flat Top Box on piano
By Johnny Cash
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 140 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1961
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Tennessee Flat Top Box in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Eb – Bb – Eb
How it goes
Tennessee Flat Top Box sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEbIVBbIEbIV- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
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 140 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: Bb – Eb – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbEbBb
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Questions about Tennessee Flat Top Box
What chords are in Tennessee Flat Top Box?
The loop is Bb – Eb – Bb – Eb (I – IV – I – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – Eb – Bb.
What key is Tennessee Flat Top Box in?
Bb major, at about 140 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Tennessee Flat Top Box?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tennessee Flat Top Box 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.