Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Amen on piano
Written by Dave Barnes
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 68 BPM
- IV–I–IV–I loop
- 2010
- Easy
Learn Amen in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Db – Ab – Db – Ab
Amen sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Db is Db, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbIVAbIDbIVAbI- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Leapfrog pulse
One long note, then a quick hop that leaps right into beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2a · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 153 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 68 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: Ab – Bbm – Ab
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbmAb- BbmBb · Db · F
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Questions about Amen
What chords are in Amen?
The loop is Db – Ab – Db – Ab (IV – I – IV – I) in Ab major, and the song ends on Ab – Bbm – Ab.
What key is Amen in?
Ab major, at about 68 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Amen?
Leapfrog pulse: root bass · 1 · 2a · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Amen 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.