Surrender Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Surrender in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bb – F – Eb – Bb
How it goes
Surrender sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIFVEbIVBbI
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
202 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Bossa swayRoot bass rhythm · Bossa novaLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Offbeat skankOffbeat chords · Blues and boogie-woogieRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 132 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 – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb

What chords are in Surrender?

The loop is Bb – F – Eb – Bb (I – V – IV – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.

What key is Surrender in?

Bb major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Surrender?

Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Surrender easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.