Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play The Twist on piano
By Chubby Checker
- E major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- I–IV–I–V loop
- 1958
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Twist in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – A – E – B
How it goes
The Twist sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E; B is B, D# and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIAIVEIBV- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#
- 2
Left hand: Rock’n’roll rocker
How it goes
The left hand rocks between two shapes, straight out of the 1950s. Musicians call it rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 262 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE
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Questions about The Twist
What chords are in The Twist?
The loop is E – A – E – B (I – IV – I – V) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is The Twist in?
E major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Twist?
Rock’n’roll rocker: rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Twist 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.