Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play All The People Said Amen on piano
By Matt Maher
- G major
- 4/4
- 96 BPM
- IV–I–V–vi loop
- 2013
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn All The People Said Amen in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – D – Em
How it goes
All The People Said Amen sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVGIDVEmvi- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Gear-shift chords
How it goes
Quick even chords that skip beat 3, like an engine changing gear. 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: G – C – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GCG
Play next
Questions about All The People Said Amen
What chords are in All The People Said Amen?
The loop is C – G – D – Em (IV – I – V – vi) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is All The People Said Amen in?
G major, at about 96 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in All The People Said Amen?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is All The People Said Amen easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.