Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play The Trolley Song on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn The Trolley Song in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Eb – Bbm – Eb – Bbm
The Trolley Song sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBbmvEbIBbmv
- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbmBb · Db · F
28 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Island pulseRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pop stabs
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pop stabsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 160 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
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F

What chords are in The Trolley Song?

The loop is Eb – Bbm – Eb – Bbm (I – v – I – v) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.

What key is The Trolley Song in?

Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in The Trolley Song?

Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is The Trolley Song 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.