Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Woodchopper’s Ball on piano
Written by Joe Bishop & Woody Herman
- C major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- 1939
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Woodchopper’s Ball in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F7 – C – Dm
How it goes
Woodchopper’s Ball sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIF7IV7CIDmii- CC · E · G
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Boogie walker
How it goes
A walking line that climbs and falls through the chord. Musicians call it boogie-woogie line (boogie & shuffle), a medium pattern heard in 807 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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: Dm – G7 – C
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DmG7C- G7G · B · D · F
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Questions about Woodchopper’s Ball
What chords are in Woodchopper’s Ball?
The loop is C – F7 – C – Dm (I – IV7 – I – ii) in C major, and the song ends on Dm – G7 – C.
What key is Woodchopper’s Ball in?
C major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Woodchopper’s Ball?
Boogie walker: boogie-woogie line, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Woodchopper’s Ball 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.