Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play London Calling on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn London Calling in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Em – Fmaj7 – Em – Fmaj7
How it goes
London Calling sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; Fmaj7 is F, A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiFmaj7bIImaj7EmiFmaj7bIImaj7
- EmE · G · B
- Fmaj7F · A · C · E
2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Pop heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Steady chordsBlock 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: 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
- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A

What chords are in London Calling?

The loop is Em – Fmaj7 – Em – Fmaj7 (i – bIImaj7 – i – bIImaj7) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.

What key is London Calling in?

E minor, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in London Calling?

Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is London Calling 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 London Calling?

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

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