Piano chords · Classical salon
How to play The Whiskey Ain't Workin' on piano
By Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart
- G major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- I–ii–I–IV loop
- 1990
- Easy
Learn The Whiskey Ain't Workin' in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Am – G – C
The Whiskey Ain't Workin' sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; Am is A, C and E; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIAmiiGICIV- GG · B · D
- AmA · C · E
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Little steps
Up the chord and back, one step at a time. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5-3 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 304 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about The Whiskey Ain't Workin'
What chords are in The Whiskey Ain't Workin'?
The loop is G – Am – G – C (I – ii – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is The Whiskey Ain't Workin' in?
G major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in The Whiskey Ain't Workin'?
Little steps: broken chord 1-3-5-3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Whiskey Ain't Workin' 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.