Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play The Charleston on piano
By Jimmy Johnson
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1923
- Easy
Learn The Charleston in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F7 – Bb – D7 – G7
The Charleston sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; D7 is D, 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.
F7V7BbID7III7G7VI7- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- D7D · F# · 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: Pop stabs
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about The Charleston
What chords are in The Charleston?
The loop is F7 – Bb – D7 – G7 (V7 – I – III7 – VI7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is The Charleston in?
Bb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in The Charleston?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Charleston 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.