Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play American Girl on piano
Artist unknown
- D major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- Medium
Learn American Girl in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E7 – G – Asus4 – D
American Girl sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E7 is E, G#, B and D; G is G, B and D; Asus4 is A, D and E; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
E7II7GIVAsus4Vsus4DI- E7E · G# · B · D
- GG · B · D
- Asus4A · D · E
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Ticking clock
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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- AA · C# · E
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Questions about American Girl
What chords are in American Girl?
The loop is E7 – G – Asus4 – D (II7 – IV5 – Vsus – I5) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is American Girl in?
D major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in American Girl?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is American Girl 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.