Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play The Whiffenpoof Song on piano
By Rudy Vallee
- Eb major
- 3/4
- 135 BPM
- I–biio–ii–V7 loop
- 1936
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Whiffenpoof Song in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Edim – Fm – Bb7
How it goes
The Whiffenpoof Song sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Edim is E, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIEdimbii°FmiiBb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- EdimE · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Moon River roll
How it goes
A wide, flowing roll in three, the Moon River feel. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-10 (3/4) (open arpeggio), a medium pattern heard in 441 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleepy waltz chords
How it goes
A long chord, then a double on beat 3: a lazy, rocking waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 135 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: Fm – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FmBb7Eb
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Questions about The Whiffenpoof Song
What chords are in The Whiffenpoof Song?
The loop is Eb – Edim – Fm – Bb7 (I – biio – ii – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Fm – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is The Whiffenpoof Song in?
Eb major, at about 135 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in The Whiffenpoof Song?
Moon River roll: open arpeggio 1-5-10 (3/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Whiffenpoof Song 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.