What key is "New York, New York" in?

"New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra is in the key of Bb with a tempo of 120 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "New York, New York" easy to play on piano?

This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.

Can I play "New York, New York" without reading sheet music?

Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.

What chords are used in "New York, New York"?

This arrangement of "New York, New York" uses 28 chords: Abm7, Am7, Bb, Bbm6, Bbm7, Bbmaj7, C7, Cb, +20 more.

How long does it take to learn "New York, New York" on piano?

2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.

What other songs by Frank Sinatra can I play here?

Try "THE CONTINENTAL", "LOST IN THE STARS", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

Start spread in’ the (F)news,

I’m leav ing to (Gm7)day,

(C7)I (Gm7)wan (C7)na (F)be a part of it New York, New (Gm7)York.

These va ga bond (F)shoes

are long ing to (Gm7)stray,

(C7)and (Gm7)step (C7)a (F)round the heart of it New York, New (F7)York.

I wan na (Bbmaj7)wake up in the (Bbm6)ci ty that does n’t (F6)sleep

(Fmaj7)to (Gm7)find (Fmaj7)I’m (Am7)king of the hill,

top of the (Gm7)heap.

My lit tle town (F)blues

are melt ing a (Gm7)way,

(C7)I’ll (Gm7)make (C7)a (F)brand new start of it in old New (Cm7)York.

If I can (Bb)make it (Bbm6)there, I’d make it (F)an y (Daug7)where, (D7)it’s (C7)up (D7)to (Gm7)you, (Am7)New (Bbmaj7)York, (C11)New (F)York.

(Am7)king of the hill, (D7)head of the list, (Bbm7)cream of the crop at the (Db7)top of the heap.

My lit tle town (Gb)blues

are melt ing a (Abm7)way,

I’ll (Ebdim)make (Fm7)a (Gb)brand new start of it in old New (Dbm7)York.

If I can (Cb)make it there I’d make it (Gb)an y (Ebaug7)where, (Eb7)come (Db7)on, (Eb7)come (Abm7)through (Bbm7)New (Abm7)York, (Cb)New (Gb)York.

New York, New York by Frank Sinatra

13 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of Bb at 120 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement will really stretch your chord vocabulary — with 28 distinct chords in the key of B♭, your left hand needs to navigate jazz-flavored movements like Bbmaj7 to Gm7 to Cm7 to F7 quickly and cleanly, so start hands-separate at around 80 BPM until those shapes feel automatic under your fingers.

The octave bass pattern gives the left hand a bouncy, confident stride, but watch the jumps into less familiar territory like Dbm7 and Cbm6 — those chromatic passing chords sneak up on you mid-phrase and are where most stumbles happen.

Loop any four-bar section containing those transitions until you can land them without looking down.

Your right hand gets to swing at 120 BPM, so keep your wrist loose and lean into the syncopation rather than fighting it.

Pedal lightly — just enough to connect the octave bass without muddying those rich extended chords.

This is the piece that'll make you genuinely comfortable with seventh chords in every color, and that skill carries into everything you play next.

About “New York, New York”

What key is "New York, New York" in?: "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra is in the key of Bb with a tempo of 120 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "New York, New York" easy to play on piano?: This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
Can I play "New York, New York" without reading sheet music?: Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
What chords are used in "New York, New York"?: This arrangement of "New York, New York" uses 28 chords: Abm7, Am7, Bb, Bbm6, Bbm7, Bbmaj7, C7, Cb, +20 more.
How long does it take to learn "New York, New York" on piano?: 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
What other songs by Frank Sinatra can I play here?: Try "THE CONTINENTAL", "LOST IN THE STARS", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.