Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Ordinary People on piano

Tuning the piano…

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Learn Ordinary People in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Bbmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Fmaj7
How it goes
Ordinary People sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbmaj7 is Bb, D, F and A; Ebmaj7 is Eb, G, Bb and D; Fmaj7 is F, A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bbmaj7IVmaj7Ebmaj7bVIImaj7Ebmaj7bVIImaj7Fmaj7Imaj7
- Bbmaj7Bb · D · F · A
- Ebmaj7Eb · G · Bb · D
- Fmaj7F · A · C · E
13 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
How it goes
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
Hurry-and-wait pulseRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Wobbly chords
How it goes
Two off-balance chords on the “ands”, then a firm landing on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Wobbly chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 100 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF
- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C

What chords are in Ordinary People?

The loop is Bbmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Fmaj7 (IVmaj7 – bVIImaj7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.

What key is Ordinary People in?

F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Ordinary People?

Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Ordinary People 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.

Can I hear the real melody of Ordinary People?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.