Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Allentown: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Billy Joel
- G major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- IV–vi–V–I loop
- 1981
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Allentown written out as piano music: the IV – vi – V – I loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays walking roots (root bass · quarters) and the right hand pumping chords.
Allentown chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G 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 | C | IV | C E G |
| 2 | Em | vi | E G B |
| 3 | D | V | D F# A |
| 4 | G | I | G B D |
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: walking roots (root bass · quarters) in the left hand and pumping chords in the right, over the C – Em – D – G 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 Allentown
Does the sheet music for Allentown 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 Allentown?
The loop is C – Em – D – G (IV – vi – V – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Allentown in?
G major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Allentown?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Allentown 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.