Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play The Wearing Of The Green on piano
Written by 18th Century Irish Folk Song
- Eb major
- 2/4
- 110 BPM
- I–V–IV–I loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Wearing Of The Green in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb – Ab – Eb
How it goes
The Wearing Of The Green sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBbVAbIVEbI- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Brass-band march
How it goes
A bold open chord, then a low note: oom-pah like a marching band. Musicians call it lh power fifths (2/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 234 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Clockwork chords
How it goes
Four quick, even chords per short bar, ticking like clockwork. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb
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Questions about The Wearing Of The Green
What chords are in The Wearing Of The Green?
The loop is Eb – Bb – Ab – Eb (I – V – IV – I) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is The Wearing Of The Green in?
Eb major, at about 110 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in The Wearing Of The Green?
Brass-band march: lh power fifths (2/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Wearing Of The Green 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.