Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Wagon Wheel on piano
Written by Ketch Secor & Bob Dylan
- A major
- 4/4
- 142 BPM
- 2004
- Easy
Learn Wagon Wheel in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F#m – D – A – E
Wagon Wheel sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F#m is F#, A and C#; D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F#mviDIVAIEV- F#mF# · A · C#
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Peekaboo chords
A chord on 2, then two surprises popping up between the beats. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 142 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: E – D – A
The last chords are V – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EDA
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Questions about Wagon Wheel
What chords are in Wagon Wheel?
The loop is F#m – D – A – E (vi – IV – I – V) in A major, and the song ends on E – D – A.
What key is Wagon Wheel in?
A major, at about 142 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Wagon Wheel?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Wagon Wheel 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Wagon Wheel?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.