Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
Applause: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Lady Gaga
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- Medium
Applause written out as piano music: the bVII – i – bVII – bVI loop in Bb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays hammering bass (broken chord 8-8) and the right hand pop stabs.
Applause chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Bb 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 | Ab | bVII | Ab C Eb |
| 2 | Bbm | i | Bb Db F |
| 3 | Ab | bVII | Ab C Eb |
| 4 | Gb | bVI | Gb Bb Db |
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: hammering bass (broken chord 8-8) in the left hand and pop stabs in the right, over the Ab – Bbm – Ab – Gb 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.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Applause
Does the sheet music for Applause 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 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.