Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play The Calculation on piano
Artist unknown
- C major
- 4/4
- 102 BPM
- Easy
Learn The Calculation in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F – G7 – Bb
The Calculation sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbbVIIFIVG7V7BbbVII- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 102 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about The Calculation
What chords are in The Calculation?
The loop is Bb – F – G7 – Bb (bVII – IV – V7 – bVII) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is The Calculation in?
C major, at about 102 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Calculation?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Calculation 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.