Piano chords · Film & wonder
How to play The Chain on piano
Written by Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie & others
- E minor
- 4/4
- 74 BPM
- 1977
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Chain in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – E – A – C
How it goes
The Chain sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CVIEIAIVCVI- CC · E · G
- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Thunder tremolo
How it goes
An octave shaking fast: thunder and suspense. Musicians call it octave tremolo (tremolo), a tricky pattern heard in 150 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Ticking clock
How it goes
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 74 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- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
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Questions about The Chain
What chords are in The Chain?
The loop is C – E – A – C (bVI – I – IV – bVI) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is The Chain in?
E minor, at about 74 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Chain?
Thunder tremolo: octave tremolo, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Chain easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.