Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Watermelon Man: easy piano accompaniment in letter notes
By Herbie Hancock
- C major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1963
- Easy
The accompaniment with every note named, bar by bar: the bar sheet shows each note as a bar on the staff with its letter inside, so you can accompany Watermelon Man without reading music. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)), and the right hand sings the tune.
The main tune of Watermelon Man in letter notes
The real notes from a score, both hands, bar by bar. R is the right hand, L the left; C4 is middle C.
Watermelon Man accompaniment in letter notes
The F7 – F7 – F7 – C7 loop with pop heartbeat in the left hand. Notes struck together are joined with a plus; C4 is middle C.
How to read the bar sheet
The player above shows the treble staff (right hand) over the bass staff (left hand). Every note is a bar as long as it sounds, at its place on the staff, with its name inside, and the music scrolls past a line that marks now. The chord names run along the top.
Start with the left hand alone at a slow speed, then the right, then both. When the letters feel easy, try the sheet music.
Questions about Watermelon Man
What are the letter notes for the Watermelon Man piano accompaniment?
Bar by bar, both hands: the bar sheet on this page names every note of the accompaniment (C4 is middle C) and plays along. The loop is F7 – F7 – F7 – C7, so the letters repeat with the chords.
What chords are in Watermelon Man?
The loop is F7 – F7 – F7 – C7 (IV7 – I7 – IV7 – I7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Watermelon Man in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Watermelon Man?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Watermelon Man 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 Watermelon Man?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.