Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play Washington Post March on piano
By John Philip Sousa
- G major
- 6/8
- 160 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Washington Post March in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – G – D7 – G
How it goes
Washington Post March 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. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7V7GID7V7GI- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Hammock heartbeat
How it goes
Long-short, long-short: the low notes sway like a hammock. Musicians call it root bass · 6/8 lilt (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 128 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hammock chords
How it goes
Long-short, long-short: soft chords sway like a hammock. 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: C – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Washington Post March
What chords are in Washington Post March?
The loop is D7 – G – D7 – G (V7 – I – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Washington Post March in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in Washington Post March?
Hammock heartbeat: root bass · 6/8 lilt, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Washington Post March easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.