Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play When The Saints Go Marching In on piano
Written by James M. Black
- G major
- 4/4
- 144 BPM
- 1994
- Easy
Learn When The Saints Go Marching In in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – G – Bm – C – G – G – D7
When The Saints Go Marching In sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; Bm is B, D and F#; C is C, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DVGIGIBmiiiCIVGIGID7V7- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- BmB · D · F#
- CC · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Lazy seesaw
A low note, a higher one, a gap, then the higher one again. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 520 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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: G – C7 – G
The last chords are I – IV7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GC7G- C7C · E · G · Bb
Play next
Questions about When The Saints Go Marching In
What chords are in When The Saints Go Marching In?
The loop is D – G – G – Bm – C – G – G – D7 (V – I – iii – IV – I – V7 – V – I) in G major, and the song ends on G – C7 – G.
What key is When The Saints Go Marching In in?
G major, at about 144 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in When The Saints Go Marching In?
Lazy seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When The Saints Go Marching In easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of When The Saints Go Marching In?
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.