Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Valerie on piano
Written by Sean Payne, David McCabe & others
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 2006
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Valerie in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ebmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Fm7 – Fm7
How it goes
Valerie sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ebmaj7 is Eb, G, Bb and D; Fm7 is F, Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Ebmaj7Imaj7Ebmaj7Imaj7Fm7ii7Fm7ii7- Ebmaj7Eb · G · Bb · D
- Fm7F · Ab · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Eb – Fm – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFmEb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
Play next
Questions about Valerie
What chords are in Valerie?
The loop is Ebmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Fm7 – Fm7 (Imaj7 – ii7 – Imaj7 – ii7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Fm – Eb.
What key is Valerie in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Valerie?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Valerie easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Valerie?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.