Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play A Hard Day's Night on piano
By The Beatles
- C major
- 4/4
- 126 BPM
- 1964
- Easy
Learn A Hard Day's Night in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – Am7 – Em7 – G7 – C7 – Gm – C
A Hard Day's Night sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Am7 is A, C, E and G; Em7 is E, G, B and D; G7 is G, B, D and F; Gm is G, Bb and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7I7Am7vi7Em7iii7G7V7C7I7GmvCI- C7C · E · G · Bb
- Am7A · C · E · G
- Em7E · G · B · D
- G7G · B · D · F
- GmG · Bb · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wake-and-run chords
One long chord, then three quick ones running into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 126 BPM
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 – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about A Hard Day's Night
What chords are in A Hard Day's Night?
The loop is C7 – Am7 – Em7 – G7 – C7 – Gm – C (I7 – vi7 – iii7 – V7 – I7 – v – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is A Hard Day's Night in?
C major, at about 126 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in A Hard Day's Night?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is A Hard Day's Night easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of A Hard Day's Night?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.