Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Tom Dooley on piano
Written by Frank Warner
- G major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- 1947
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Tom Dooley in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – D7 – G – D7
How it goes
Tom Dooley sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; D7 is D, F#, A and C; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiiD7V7GID7V7- AmA · C · E
- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
How it goes
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Am – D7 – G
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmD7G
Play next
Questions about Tom Dooley
What chords are in Tom Dooley?
The loop is Am – D7 – G – D7 (ii – V7 – I – V7) in G major, and the song ends on Am – D7 – G.
What key is Tom Dooley in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Tom Dooley?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tom Dooley 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.