A Joyful Heart Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn A Joyful Heart in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: D – Bm – Em – A7
A Joyful Heart sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; Bm is B, D and F#; Em is E, G and B; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIBmviEmiiA7V7
- DD · F# · A
- BmB · D · F#
- EmE · G · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
160 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Three-step climb
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Three-step climbBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Hopscotch bellsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 160 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: Em – A – D
The last chords are ii – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EmAD
- AA · C# · E

What chords are in A Joyful Heart?

The loop is D – Bm – Em – A7 (I – vi – ii – V7) in D major, and the song ends on Em – A – D.

What key is A Joyful Heart in?

D major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in A Joyful Heart?

Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is A Joyful Heart 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.