Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play There’s A Long, Long Trail on piano
By Alonzo Elliott
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 84 BPM
- 1914
- Easy
Learn There’s A Long, Long Trail in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fm – Db – Fm – C7
There’s A Long, Long Trail sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; Db is Db, F and Ab; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmviDbIVFmviC7III7- FmF · Ab · C
- DbDb · F · Ab
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 84 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: Db – Eb – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
Play next
Questions about There’s A Long, Long Trail
What chords are in There’s A Long, Long Trail?
The loop is Fm – Db – Fm – C7 (vi – IV – vi – III7) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is There’s A Long, Long Trail in?
Ab major, at about 84 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in There’s A Long, Long Trail?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is There’s A Long, Long Trail 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.