Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play The Times They Are A-Changin’ on piano
By Billy Joel
- G major
- 3/4
- 100 BPM
- I–vi–IV–I loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Times They Are A-Changin’ in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Em – C – G
How it goes
The Times They Are A-Changin’ sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; Em is E, G and B; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIEmviCIVGI- GG · B · D
- EmE · G · B
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz bells
How it goes
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: G – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about The Times They Are A-Changin’
What chords are in The Times They Are A-Changin’?
The loop is G – Em – C – G (I – vi – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on G – D – G.
What key is The Times They Are A-Changin’ in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in The Times They Are A-Changin’?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Times They Are A-Changin’ 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.