When the Saints Go Marching In (Both Hands)

The whole tune over the primary chords: pickup notes and a chord change every bar.

Level:
4 of 6
Hands:
Both hands
Key:
C major
Notes:
73
Range:
B2 to G4
One run:
about 42 seconds at 80 bpm

The notes, in order

38 moments, 73 notes in total, some struck together.

  1. C4
  2. E4
  3. F4
  4. C3 + E3 + G3 + G4
  5. C3 + E3 + G3
  6. C4
  7. E4
  8. F4
  9. C3 + E3 + G3 + G4
  10. C3 + E3 + G3
  11. C4
  12. E4
  13. F4
  14. C3 + E3 + G3 + G4
  15. E4
  16. C4
  17. E4
  18. B2 + F3 + G3 + D4
  19. B2 + F3 + G3
  20. E4
  21. E4
  22. D4
  23. C3 + E3 + G3 + C4
  24. C4
  25. E4
  26. C3 + F3 + A3 + G4
  27. G4
  28. G4
  29. F4
  30. C3 + E3 + G3 + E4
  31. C4
  32. E4
  33. B2 + F3 + G3 + D4
  34. B2 + F3 + G3
  35. C4
  36. E4
  37. D4
  38. C3 + E3 + G3 + C4

How to practise it

  1. The tune starts three beats before the first chord: count "one, two, three, four" and play C on "two"
  2. Chords change on beat one of every bar: C for five bars, then G7, G7, C, F, C, G7, G7, C
  3. The long G is held for five beats. Keep counting through it, the left hand is what keeps you honest

The scale behind it

This one is built on the C Major scale: C D E F G A B (no sharps or flats). Its right-hand fingering runs 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5, and the scale page has the full diagram if you want to hear the shape on its own first.

How to play it here

Play along on the keys with your mouse, your computer keyboard, a touch screen, or a MIDI keyboard you have plugged in. Every key can show its own name, and the metronome will hold the tempo while you work through the 73 notes.

What it trains

  • adult beginner
  • folk
  • jazz
  • chords
  • hands together
  • accompaniment
  • rhythm

More adult beginner course

Piano for adult beginners, in the order the method books teach it: black keys and finger numbers, Middle C, pentascales, primary chords, then real pieces with both hands.

All piano exercises