The Little Drummer Boy Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn The Little Drummer Boy in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: B – A – E – B
The Little Drummer Boy sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: B is B, D# and F#; A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BVAIVEIBV
- BB · D# · F#
- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
92 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Giant steps
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Giant stepsLeft-hand chords · RockLeft handEasy
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.
Pausing chordsBlock chords · ClassicalRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 80 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: E – D – E
The last chords are I – bVII – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EDE
- DD · F# · A

What chords are in The Little Drummer Boy?

The loop is B – A – E – B (V – IV – I – V) in E major, and the song ends on E – D – E.

What key is The Little Drummer Boy in?

E major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in The Little Drummer Boy?

Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is The Little Drummer Boy 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.