Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Before The Throne Of God Above on piano
Written by Vikki Cook & Charitie Bancroft
- Eb major
- 3/4
- 84 BPM
- 1997
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Before The Throne Of God Above in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb – Eb – Cm
How it goes
Before The Throne Of God Above sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBbVEbICmvi- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Spinning-top pulse
How it goes
Six even low notes in a three-beat bar, spinning round and round. Musicians call it root bass · 3/4 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 87 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleepy waltz chords
How it goes
A long chord, then a double on beat 3: a lazy, rocking waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 84 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about Before The Throne Of God Above
What chords are in Before The Throne Of God Above?
The loop is Eb – Bb – Eb – Cm (I – V – I – vi) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Before The Throne Of God Above in?
Eb major, at about 84 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Before The Throne Of God Above?
Spinning-top pulse: root bass · 3/4 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Before The Throne Of God Above 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.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.