Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Great Speckled Bird on piano
Written by Roy Acuff
- F major
- 4/4
- 150 BPM
- V7–I–I7–IV loop
- 1937
- Easy
Learn The Great Speckled Bird in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F – F7 – Bb
The Great Speckled Bird sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7FIF7I7BbIV- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 150 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
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Questions about The Great Speckled Bird
What chords are in The Great Speckled Bird?
The loop is C7 – F – F7 – Bb (V7 – I – I7 – IV) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is The Great Speckled Bird in?
F major, at about 150 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Great Speckled Bird?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Great Speckled Bird 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.