Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder on piano
Written by Traditional
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Learn When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ab – Db – Ab – Ab – Eb7
When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Db is Db, F and Ab; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbVAbIDbIVAbIAbIEb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- DbDb · F · Ab
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Ab – Eb7 – Ab
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbEb7Ab
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Questions about When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
What chords are in When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder?
The loop is Eb – Ab – Db – Ab – Ab – Eb7 (V – I – IV – I – V7 – V) in Ab major, and the song ends on Ab – Eb7 – Ab.
What key is When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder in?
Ab major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part 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.