Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Applause on piano
By Lady Gaga
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- Medium
Learn Applause in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Bbm – Ab – Gb
Applause sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Gb is Gb, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbbVIIBbmiAbbVIIGbbVI- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbmBb · Db · F
- GbGb · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Hammering bass
The same note hammered on every quick beat, dipping only at the end. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8 (broken chord), a medium pattern heard in 280 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
Play next
Questions about Applause
What chords are in Applause?
The loop is Ab – Bbm – Ab – Gb (bVII – i – bVII – bVI) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Applause in?
Bb major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Applause?
Hammering bass: broken chord 8-8, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Applause 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Applause?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.