Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Radioactive on piano
- B minor
- 4/4
- 68 BPM
- 2012
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Radioactive in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – D – A – E – Bm – D – A – E
How it goes
Radioactive sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmiDIIIAVIIEIVBmiDIIIAVIIEIV- BmB · D · F#
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 68 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: G – A – Bm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm- GG · B · D
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Questions about Radioactive
What chords are in Radioactive?
The loop is Bm – D – A – E – Bm – D – A – E (i – III – VII – IV – i – III – VII – IV) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is Radioactive in?
B minor, at about 68 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Radioactive?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Radioactive easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Radioactive?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.