Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Lamp Is Low on piano
By Yvette Baruch
- F major
- 4/4
- 106 BPM
- ii–V7–ii–V7 loop
- 1939
- Easy
Learn The Lamp Is Low in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – C7 – Gm – C7
The Lamp Is Low sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiC7V7GmiiC7V7- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 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: Pausing chords
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 106 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: Gm – C7 – F
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmC7F- FF · A · C
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Questions about The Lamp Is Low
What chords are in The Lamp Is Low?
The loop is Gm – C7 – Gm – C7 (ii – V7 – ii – V7) in F major, and the song ends on Gm – C7 – F.
What key is The Lamp Is Low in?
F major, at about 106 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Lamp Is Low?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Lamp Is Low 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.