Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Big Time on piano
Written by Angie Aparo, John Rich & others
- D major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- IV–V–I–IV loop
- 2004
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Big Time in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – A – D – G
How it goes
Big Time sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; A 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.
GIVAVDIGIV- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Push and land
How it goes
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Running-late chords
How it goes
Misses beat 1, then hurries in with busy chords around the beats. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: Em – A7 – D
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EmA7D- EmE · G · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
Play next
Questions about Big Time
What chords are in Big Time?
The loop is G – A – D – G (IV – V – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on Em – A7 – D.
What key is Big Time in?
D major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Big Time?
Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Big Time 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.