Piano chords · Old-time stride
The Charleston: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Jimmy Johnson
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1923
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The Charleston written out as piano music: the V7 – I – III7 – VI7 loop in Bb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays oom-pah (bass + chords) and the right hand pop stabs.
The Charleston chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Bb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F7 | V7 | F A C Eb |
| 2 | Bb | I | Bb D F |
| 3 | D7 | III7 | D F# A C |
| 4 | G7 | VI7 | G B D F |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: oom-pah (bass + chords) in the left hand and pop stabs in the right, over the F7 – Bb – D7 – G7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about The Charleston
Does the sheet music for The Charleston have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
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.