Aqualung Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Aqualung in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Eb – Ebm7 – Abm7 – D – Gm – Cm – Db
Aqualung sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ebm7 is Eb, Gb, Bb and Db; Abm7 is Ab, Cb, Eb and Gb; D is D, F# and A; Gm is G, Bb and D; Cm is C, Eb and G; Db is Db, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIVEbm7iv7Abm7bvii7DIIIGmviCmiiDbbIII
- EbEb · G · Bb
- Ebm7Eb · Gb · Bb · Db
- Abm7Ab · Cb · Eb · Gb
- DD · F# · A
- GmG · Bb · D
- CmC · Eb · G
- DbDb · F · Ab
19 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Jazz walk
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Jazz walkWalking bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Heartbeat chords
Long, short, long: chords on the pop heartbeat, then a rest. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Heartbeat chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 126 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
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F

What chords are in Aqualung?

The loop is Eb – Ebm7 – Abm7 – D – Gm – Cm – Db (IV – iv7 – bvii7 – III – vi – ii – bIII) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.

What key is Aqualung in?

Bb major, at about 126 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Aqualung?

Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Aqualung easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Aqualung?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.