Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Cab on piano
Written by Pat Monahan & Brandon Bush
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 96 BPM
- vi–II–vi–II loop
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Cab in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – F – Cm – F
How it goes
Cab sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmviFIICmviFII- CmC · Eb · G
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
How it goes
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 96 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Cab
What chords are in Cab?
The loop is Cm – F – Cm – F (vi – II – vi – II) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Cab in?
Eb major, at about 96 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cab?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cab 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.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.