Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Yakety Yak on piano
Artist unknown
- C major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–IV–V7–I loop
- Easy
Learn Yakety Yak in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – G7 – C
Yakety Yak sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVG7V7CI- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hand-clap chords
Rests on beat 1, then clap-clap on 2 and one more clap on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about Yakety Yak
What chords are in Yakety Yak?
The loop is C – F – G7 – C (I – IV – V7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Yakety Yak in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Yakety Yak?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Yakety Yak 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.