Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Babe on piano
By Styx
- D major
- 4/4
- 60 BPM
- 1979
- Easy
Learn Babe in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – G – A – D – D – Em7 – A7
Babe sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: A is A, C# and E; G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Em7 is E, G, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AVGIVAVDIDIEm7ii7A7V7- AA · C# · E
- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- Em7E · G · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 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: 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 60 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: D – A7 – D
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DA7D
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Questions about Babe
What chords are in Babe?
The loop is A – G – A – D – D – Em7 – A7 (V – IV – V – I – ii7 – V7 – V) in D major, and the song ends on D – A7 – D.
What key is Babe in?
D major, at about 60 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Babe?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Babe 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 Babe?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part 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.