Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Be Prepared: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Elton John
- A minor
- 4/4
- 70 BPM
- i–iv–v–i loop
- 1994
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Be Prepared written out as piano music: the i – iv – v – i loop in A minor for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays stair steps (broken chord 1-3-5) and the right hand run-up chords.
Be Prepared chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in A minor. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Am | i | A C E |
| 2 | Dm | iv | D F A |
| 3 | Em | v | E G B |
| 4 | Am | i | A C E |
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: stair steps (broken chord 1-3-5) in the left hand and run-up chords in the right, over the Am – Dm – Em – Am 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.
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Questions about Be Prepared
Does the sheet music for Be Prepared 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 Be Prepared?
The loop is Am – Dm – Em – Am (i – iv – v – i) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Be Prepared in?
A minor, at about 70 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Be Prepared?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Be Prepared 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.