Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Under Pressure on piano
By Queen & David Bowie
- D major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 1981
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Under Pressure in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A – G – A
How it goes
Under Pressure sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIAVGIVAV- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Engine 8ths
How it goes
The lowest note on every eighth: the engine of rock. Musicians call it root bass · 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD
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Questions about Under Pressure
What chords are in Under Pressure?
The loop is D – A – G – A (I – V – IV – V) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Under Pressure in?
D major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Under Pressure?
Engine 8ths: root bass · 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Under Pressure easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Under Pressure?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure 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.