Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Alison: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Elvis Costello
- E major
- 4/4
- 92 BPM
- 1977
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Alison written out as piano music: the IV – iii – vi – V loop in E major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) and the right hand late-knock chords.
Alison chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in E major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | IV | A C# E |
| 2 | G#m | iii | G# B D# |
| 3 | C#m | vi | C# E G# |
| 4 | B | V | B D# F# |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) in the left hand and late-knock chords in the right, over the A – G#m – C#m – B chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about Alison
Does the sheet music for Alison have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Alison?
The loop is A – G#m – C#m – B (IV – iii – vi – V) in E major, and the song ends on E – A – E.
What key is Alison in?
E major, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Alison?
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 Alison 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.