The chords are pretty simple, although we will be altering one of them for a jazzier sound (circled). In this lesson, we will be playing in the key of F. This tune is commonly played in a few different keys. Ready? Let’s dive in! Getting Ready: The Chords for Heart and Soul Jazz Piano Downloadable sheet music PDF of the arrangement for reference.

Overview of how the different parts of this heart and soul-jazz piano arrangement work.How to play a swing walking bass line in the left hand (easy and a more advanced/hard version).The chords that actually makeup heart and soul, as well as some jazzy substitutions.In a sense, we are actually taking the song back to its roots by playing heart and soul in a swing jazz piano style.

Today, the song has often been simplified both to match closer to later styles like rock, pop, and R&B, as well as to be easier to play for beginner pianists. This song was actually released way back in 1938 and the original style was, well, jazz! In particular, the style of swing jazz which was at its pinnacle in the ’30s and ’40s. When the average person sits down at the piano at a party, 9 times out of 10 they’ll start picking out Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser’s famous Heart and Soul. This is because of the fun rhythm, nice chords, and catchy melody that everybody instantly knows! Now, what if you wanted to play it in a different way than everybody else to stand out, with a fresh and more advanced take on the song and make everyone turn their heads and say “Wow, that’s cool!”? That’s why in this lesson, we’ll go over how to play heart and soul in a swing jazz piano style.

Chords charts jazz piano