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How to Play Amazing Grace on the Piano

Amazing Grace is a well-loved hymn. The lyrics were written in 1772 by a former slave trader, John Newton, who was converted to Christianity after experiencing the grace and love of God. The simple melody of the song was borrowed from another hymn in America and added approximately sixty years later. You can play Amazing Grace on the piano by learning to play the melody in your right hand and the chords in your left.

Things You'll Need

  • Basic knowledge of musical notes and the piano
  • Piano
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Instructions

  1. Melody

    • 1

      Locate middle C on the piano. This will be the first note of the song's melody. The rest of the notes in the melody will all be located to the right of middle C.

    • 2

      Play the following notes for the phrase, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,":
      C-F-A-F-A, G-F-D-C

    • 3

      Play the following notes for the phrase, "That saved a wretch like me;":
      C-F-A-F-A-G-C

    • 4

      Play the following notes for the phrase, "I once was lost, but now am found,":
      A-C-A-C-A-F, C-D-F-F-D-C

    • 5

      Play the following phrase for, "Was blind, but now I see.":
      C-F-A-F-A-G-F

    Chords

    • 6

      Practice the chords to the song. These notes will all be played using your left hand. Start with the F that is the second F below middle C and play an F chord, which means that you'll play F-A-C in your left hand. Play a Bb (B-flat) chord by playing Bb-D-F. The beginning of this chord (Bb) will be the Bb above the F you just used in the F chord. Next, play the C chord by playing C-E-G. This C will be the C below middle C.

    • 7

      Hold down the F chord as you play the melody notes in your right hand for, "Amazing Grace how." Follow with a Bb chord on "sweet the," and finish the phrase with another F chord for, "sound."

    • 8

      Continue holding the F chord on, "That saved a wretch like." Play a C chord for, "me, I."

    • 9

      Play an F chord for, "once was lost but." Follow with a Bb chord on "now am," and follow with an F chord on "found."

    • 10

      For "Was blind but," play an F chord. Play a C for "now I." Finish with an F on the final word, "see."

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