Chopsticks easy piano tutorial for beginners

Video tutorial

Want to learn how to play Chopsticks on the piano? In this video, we’ll guide you through:

• The starting Chopsticks piano keys
• The simple two-finger pattern you’ll repeat
• How both hands move together

Find the full beginner arrangement of Chopsticks by Euphemia Allen  on piano. Start a free trial today!

Introduction

The Chopsticks piano song is short, catchy, and built from just a few repeating notes. At Skoove, we love playing Chopsticks with beginners because it keeps your hands close to the middle of the keyboard and simple and the repeating pattern helps you build a steady sense of rhythm. Chopsticks works well for adults, parents and kids learning together at home. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you the notes and keys you need, a clear pattern you can follow to play the whole song and simple practice ideas to make it sound smooth and confident. Let’s get going!

Chopsticks piano notes and keys: your step-by-step guide

In this part, we’ll keep things very simple. You’ll learn:

• Which Chopsticks piano keys you need
• How to place your fingers
• A step-by-step pattern you can repeat to play the whole Chopsticks piano song

Let’s have a look at what each hand will be playing and where.

Step 1 – find the right place/notes on the keyboard

First, let’s find the area where you’ll play.

1. Look for the group of two black keys near the middle of your piano.
2. The white key just to the left of that group is called middle C.
3. The white key two to the left (to the left of the pair of the two black keys) of that is your starting note, along with the next white key along the F.

Step 2 – hand position and finger numbers

We’ll use the thumb (1) and index fingers (finger 2). This feels natural for kids and adults.

• • Right hand
    • Put your thumb (1) on E index finger (2) on F.

• Left hand
  • Put your thumb (1) on D (the white key to between the two black keys)

This is the starting position for the whole tune.

Step 3 – learn the basic rhythm

Now we’ll learn the first tiny pattern. Your hands will take turns:

1. Play E and F with your right hand
2. Then play D with your left hand
3. Repeat: Together E, F and D then just the right hand E and F together twice. This should make an ‘um’ ‘pa’ ‘pa’ rhythm. This pattern repeats most of the way through the song.

Count “1–2–3–2–1–3” as you go. Chopsticks is a waltz written with a 3/4 time signature. This means that each measure has 3 beats.

Step 4 – turn it into real music

Now you can make it sound like the Chopsticks piano song, not just an exercise. To get a more in depth walkthrough of this song be sure to check out the Skoove app.

How to practice Chopsticks on piano – lesson plan

Now that you know the basic pattern of the Chopsticks piano song, the real magic comes from how you practice it. You don’t need long, serious practice sessions. Short, playful moments at the piano are enough to make your Chopsticks piano sound smoother every day.

Here is a simple lesson plan from Skoove that will help you during your learning. 

Step 1: listen to the opening verse

Take a moment to listen to the Chopsticks all the way through. Pay attention to the steady, calming feel of the song and how the rhythm goes.

Step 2: practice the Chopsticks chords 

Start by playing the right hand chords used in the first lines of the song. 

Step 3: learn the left hand accompaniment pattern

Once you’re comfortable with the melody, it’s time to bring in the left hand. Start with the basic accompaniment pattern by playing one bass note per chord. 

Step 4: play both hands together

Once you’ve practiced the melody and the left-hand accompaniment separately, it’s time to bring them together. Don’t rush, take it slow and let the song flow naturally. Inside the Skoove app, you can loop small sections, slow the tempo and get real-time feedback to help both hands lock together comfortably.

Interesting fact

The “Chopsticks” piano song wasn’t always called “Chopsticks”. When it was first published in 1877, it was named “The Celebrated Chop Waltz” and was written by a 16-year-old British composer, Euphemia Allen. She used the pen name Arthur de Lulli, and this ended up being the only piece she ever published.

What’s next? Learn with Skoove

You found the keys, built the pattern, kept your hands moving together, and turned a simple idea into something you can share with your kids, your family or just enjoy on your own. That’s exactly how we like to teach at Skoove: one clear, friendly step at a time, until the piano starts to feel like home. If you’re ready to turn this first win into many more, open the Skoove app, find the Chopsticks lesson, and let us guide you through your next songs with interactive practice, real-time feedback, and a whole library of music waiting for you.

Start free trial

Generated by AI with Verified Data Sources

This piano tutorial has been produced using an innovative AI process where we integrate data from respected sources like GetSongbpm API, the YouTube API, OpenAI API, and Perplexity API. Our approach careflly combines these resources to create structured, user-friendly piano learning content.”