Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Up On The Housetop on piano
By B.R. Hanby
- C major
- 4/4
- 96 BPM
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Up On The Housetop in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab7 – G7 – C7 – Bb7
How it goes
Up On The Housetop sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab7 is Ab, C, Eb and Gb; G7 is G, B, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Ab7bVI7G7V7C7I7Bb7bVII7- Ab7Ab · C · Eb · Gb
- G7G · B · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 96 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Up On The Housetop
What chords are in Up On The Housetop?
The loop is Ab7 – G7 – C7 – Bb7 (bVI7 – V7 – I7 – bVII7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Up On The Housetop in?
C major, at about 96 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Up On The Housetop?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Up On The Housetop 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 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.