Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Yankee Doodle on piano
By Traditional
- A major
- 2/4
- 120 BPM
- Easy
Learn Yankee Doodle in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – D#dim – A – E7
Yankee Doodle sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; D#dim is D#, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; E7 is E, G#, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIVD#dim#iv°AIE7V7- DD · F# · A
- D#dimD# · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- E7E · G# · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Little march
A chord, then a single low note: left, right, like a little march. Musicians call it lh chords (2/4) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in 278 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Marching chords
Two chords per bar, left-right, like a happy little march. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: A – E7 – A
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AE7A
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Questions about Yankee Doodle
What chords are in Yankee Doodle?
The loop is D – D#dim – A – E7 (IV – #ivo – I – V7) in A major, and the song ends on A – E7 – A.
What key is Yankee Doodle in?
A major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Yankee Doodle?
Little march: lh chords (2/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Yankee Doodle 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.