Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Greatest Gift on piano
By James Corden
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 60 BPM
- 2016
- Easy
Learn The Greatest Gift in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – C – Eb – F
The Greatest Gift sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; C is C, E and G; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbICIIEbIVFV- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 60 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
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Questions about The Greatest Gift
What chords are in The Greatest Gift?
The loop is Bb – C – Eb – F (I – II – IV – V) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is The Greatest Gift in?
Bb major, at about 60 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Greatest Gift?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Greatest Gift 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.