The Night Before Christmas Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn The Night Before Christmas in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Ab – Bb7
The Night Before Christmas sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIAbIVBb7V7
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
29 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
Seesaw bassRoot–fifth bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Offbeat skankOffbeat chords · Blues and boogie-woogieRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 99 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb
- BbBb · D · F

What chords are in The Night Before Christmas?

The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Ab – Bb7 (V7 – I – IV – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.

What key is The Night Before Christmas in?

Eb major, at about 99 beats a minute in 6/8.

What does the left hand play in The Night Before Christmas?

Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is The Night Before Christmas 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.