Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Left Behind on piano
By Duncan Sheik
- E minor
- 12/8
- 120 BPM
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Left Behind in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A7 – Cmaj7 – G
How it goes
Left Behind sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 3 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; Cmaj7 is C, E, G and B; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7IV7Cmaj7VImaj7GIII- A7A · C# · E · G
- Cmaj7C · E · G · B
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
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Questions about Left Behind
What chords are in Left Behind?
The loop is A7 – Cmaj7 – G (IV7 – VImaj7 – III) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Left Behind in?
E minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Left Behind?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Left Behind easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 3 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Left Behind?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.