Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Will The Circle Be Unbroken on piano
By Charles H. Gabriel
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- IV–I–ii–I loop
- 2014
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Will The Circle Be Unbroken in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Db – Ab – Bbm – Ab
How it goes
Will The Circle Be Unbroken sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Db is Db, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbIVAbIBbmiiAbI- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbmBb · Db · F
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
How it goes
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Late-knock chords
How it goes
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Bbm – Eb7 – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbmEb7Ab- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
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Questions about Will The Circle Be Unbroken
What chords are in Will The Circle Be Unbroken?
The loop is Db – Ab – Bbm – Ab (IV – I – ii – I) in Ab major, and the song ends on Bbm – Eb7 – Ab.
What key is Will The Circle Be Unbroken in?
Ab major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Will The Circle Be Unbroken?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Will The Circle Be Unbroken 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.