Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Wabash Cannonball on piano
Written by A.P. Carter
- G major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1933
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Wabash Cannonball in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – G – G7 – Am
How it goes
Wabash Cannonball sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; G is G, B and D; G7 is G, B, D and F; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7V7GIG7I7Amii- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- G7G · B · D · F
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Trampoline bounce
How it goes
Root, a jump up, a dip down, a jump up: a country-style bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5-12 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 257 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bossa chords
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: soft Brazilian chords. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: G – D7 – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GD7G
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Questions about Wabash Cannonball
What chords are in Wabash Cannonball?
The loop is D7 – G – G7 – Am (V7 – I – I7 – ii) in G major, and the song ends on G – D7 – G.
What key is Wabash Cannonball in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Wabash Cannonball?
Trampoline bounce: broken chord 8-12-5-12, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Wabash Cannonball 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.