Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Poison Ivy on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Poison Ivy in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: F – F – Eb – F – F – F – Eb – F
How it goes
Poison Ivy sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: F is F, A and C; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIFIEbbVIIFIFIFIEbbVIIFI
- FF · A · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
90 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Stair steps
How it goes
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
Stair stepsBroken chord · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Eager chords
How it goes
Jumps in early before beat 3, like the chords can’t wait. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Eager chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 120 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 – Eb – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – bVII – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FEbF

What chords are in Poison Ivy?

The loop is F – F – Eb – F – F – F – Eb – F (I – bVII – I – bVII – I – bVII – I – bVII) in F major, and the song ends on F – Eb – F.

What key is Poison Ivy in?

F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Poison Ivy?

Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Poison Ivy 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 Poison Ivy?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the bass riff 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.