Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play The Old Rugged Cross on piano
By Rev. George Bennard
- Bb major
- 3/4
- 122 BPM
- I–V7–I–I7 loop
- 2014
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Old Rugged Cross in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F7 – Bb – Bb7
How it goes
The Old Rugged Cross sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIF7V7BbIBb7I7- BbBb · D · F
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Waltz stride
How it goes
A deep bass, a chord above, then the octave: a leaping waltz. Musicians call it stride (3/4) (stride & boom-chick), a medium pattern heard in 215 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
How it goes
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 122 BPM
How it goes
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
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about The Old Rugged Cross
What chords are in The Old Rugged Cross?
The loop is Bb – F7 – Bb – Bb7 (I – V7 – I – I7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is The Old Rugged Cross in?
Bb major, at about 122 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in The Old Rugged Cross?
Waltz stride: stride (3/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Old Rugged Cross easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.