Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Band On The Run on piano
By Paul McCartney and Wings
- D major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1974
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Band On The Run in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – D – Am – D
How it goes
Band On The Run sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmvDIAmvDI- AmA · C · E
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
How it goes
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: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 BPM
How it goes
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
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Band On The Run
What chords are in Band On The Run?
The loop is Am – D – Am – D (v – I – v – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Band On The Run in?
D major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Band On The Run?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Band On The Run easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.