Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play The Great Pumpkin Waltz on piano
- C minor
- 3/4
- 144 BPM
- 1969
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Great Pumpkin Waltz in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – Bm – Bb – Eb7
How it goes
The Great Pumpkin Waltz sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Bm is B, D and F#; Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmiBmviiBbVIIEb7III7- CmC · Eb · G
- BmB · D · F#
- BbBb · D · F
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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: Ab – Bb – Cm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about The Great Pumpkin Waltz
What chords are in The Great Pumpkin Waltz?
The loop is Cm – Bm – Bb – Eb7 (i – vii – bVII – bIII7) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is The Great Pumpkin Waltz in?
C minor, at about 144 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in The Great Pumpkin Waltz?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Great Pumpkin Waltz 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.