Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play I Will Survive on piano
By Leah McFall
- C major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- i–iv–bVII–bIII loop
- 1978
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Will Survive in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – Fm – Bb – Eb
How it goes
I Will Survive sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmiFmivBbbVIIEbbIII- CmC · Eb · G
- FmF · Ab · C
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 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: 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.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about I Will Survive
What chords are in I Will Survive?
The loop is Cm – Fm – Bb – Eb (i – iv – bVII – bIII) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is I Will Survive in?
C major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Will Survive?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Will Survive 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.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.