Piano chords · Blues & boogie
The Twist: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Chubby Checker
- E major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- I–IV–I–V loop
- 1958
- Medium
The Twist written out as piano music: the I – IV – I – V loop in E major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays rock’n’roll rocker (rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle) and the right hand pumping chords.
The Twist chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in E major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | I | E G# B |
| 2 | A | IV | A C# E |
| 3 | E | I | E G# B |
| 4 | B | V | B D# F# |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: rock’n’roll rocker (rock’n’roll 5–6 shuffle) in the left hand and pumping chords in the right, over the E – A – E – B chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about The Twist
Does the sheet music for The Twist have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
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.