Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Absolute Beginners on piano
By David Bowie
- D major
- 4/4
- 114 BPM
- Easy
Learn Absolute Beginners in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – A – Asus4 – G
Absolute Beginners sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; A is A, C# and E; Asus4 is A, D and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVAVAsus4Vsus4GIV- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- Asus4A · D · E
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 114 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Absolute Beginners
What chords are in Absolute Beginners?
The loop is G – A – Asus4 – G (IV – V – Vsus – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Absolute Beginners in?
D major, at about 114 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Absolute Beginners?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Absolute Beginners 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.