How to Play "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" by Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore on Piano
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home” is in A minor, 6/8 time, at 112 BPM, counted in dotted quarters. This lesson teaches a simple version of the song: the melody in your right hand and easy chords in your left, one phrase at a time. The song has 5 phrases.
- A minor
- 6/8
- 112 BPM
- Very beginner
- Melody + easy chords
Free to play. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack.
What you need to know
Read from the song's own melody and chords. The left hand is kept simple on purpose.
Time signature
6/8
2 big beats in every bar, at 112 BPM
The chords you play
The song uses 7 chords. You learn them a phrase at a time: Am, F, C, E, G, Bdim and Dm.
Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays F where the sheet music writes F/A.
Your left hand for this song
Slow arpeggio
We'll use this simple left-hand pattern to accompany the melody: low, middle, high, middle, one note a beat. One note a beat keeps it calm at this tempo.
Right hand
The melody
The tune the singer sings, one note at a time, with finger numbers.
The lesson, step by step
3 short steps for each phrase of the song. Each one opens in the lesson player, so you can listen and play along on your own piano.
- Start hereRight hand
Step 1: Melody
Listen, then play the tune with your right hand, with finger numbers.
Open this step - Left hand
Step 2: Chords
Your left hand learns this phrase's chords: a bass note, block chords, or a simple pattern.
Open this step - Both hands
Step 3: Hands together
The melody with your left hand's chords under it. When you can play this, you can play the phrase.
Open this step Then play the whole song
When you can play every phrase, play the full sheet music in the player.
Play the full song
Frequently asked questions
What key is “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” in?
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home” is in A minor, which has no sharps or flats. The A minor scale is A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
What are the chords in “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”?
The lesson plays 7 chords, one easy shape each: Am, F, C, E, G, Bdim and Dm. As the sheet music writes them: Am, Am/C, F/A, C, E, E/G#, E7, G/B, Bdim and Dm/A. Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays F where the sheet music writes F/A.
What should my left hand play in “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”?
First your left hand learns each phrase's chords on its own, then with the melody. It plays a bass note or a block chord when the chord changes, or a simple pattern: you choose, and the same choice stays on both steps.
What tempo is “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”?
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home” plays at 112 BPM in 6/8, counted in dotted quarters. Every step starts at the song's tempo, and you can slow it down as much as you need.
Is “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” hard to play on piano?
It is rated Very beginner. The melody goes from E4 up to E5. The lesson teaches a simple version: the melody and one easy chord shape at a time in the left hand.
Where can I get the sheet music for “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”?
Play the full sheet music free in the interactive player, or download a printable PDF. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack. It is this lesson on paper, with fingering, one left-hand style per PDF.