Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Mickey on piano
Written by Michael Chapman & Nicky Chinn
- E major
- 4/4
- 136 BPM
- V–IV–V–IV loop
- 1981
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Mickey in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: B – A – B – A
How it goes
Mickey sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: B is B, D# and F#; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BVAIVBVAIV- BB · D# · F#
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Eager heartbeat
How it goes
Jumps in early on the “and” before beat 3, like it can’t wait. Musicians call it root bass · pop push 1 · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 403 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Knock-and-peek
How it goes
The same note knocks five times, then peeks one step higher. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 136 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- EE · G# · B
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Questions about Mickey
What chords are in Mickey?
The loop is B – A – B – A (V – IV – V – IV) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Mickey in?
E major, at about 136 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Mickey?
Eager heartbeat: root bass · pop push 1 · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mickey 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.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.