Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Waikiki on piano
Written by Andy Cummings
- C major
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- 1947
- Easy
Learn Waikiki in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – C7 – F – Bb7
Waikiki sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIC7I7FIVBb7bVII7- CC · E · G
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Upside-down pulse
Every note lands between the beats, so it bounces like reggae. Musicians call it root bass · offbeats (&s) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 176 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 72 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
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Questions about Waikiki
What chords are in Waikiki?
The loop is C – C7 – F – Bb7 (I – I7 – IV – bVII7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Waikiki in?
C major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Waikiki?
Upside-down pulse: root bass · offbeats (&s), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Waikiki 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.