Piano chords · Bossa beach
The Darktown Strutters’ Ball: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Shelton Brooks
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1995
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The Darktown Strutters’ Ball written out as piano music: the V7 – I – VI7 – II7 loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays island seesaw (root–fifth 1-5-1), and the right hand sings the tune.
The Darktown Strutters’ Ball chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C 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 | G7 | V7 | G B D F |
| 2 | C | I | C E G |
| 3 | A7 | VI7 | A C# E G |
| 4 | D7 | II7 | D F# A C |
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: island seesaw (root–fifth 1-5-1) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the G7 – C – A7 – D7 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 Darktown Strutters’ Ball
Does the sheet music for The Darktown Strutters’ Ball 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 Darktown Strutters’ Ball?
The loop is G7 – C – A7 – D7 (V7 – I – VI7 – II7) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is The Darktown Strutters’ Ball in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Darktown Strutters’ Ball?
Island seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Darktown Strutters’ Ball 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.