Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Birthday Cake on piano
Written by Robyn Fenty, Marcos Palacios & others
- F major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 2011
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Birthday Cake in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – Eb – D – Eb
How it goes
Birthday Cake sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DVIEbbVIIDVIEbbVII- DD · F# · A
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 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: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Birthday Cake
What chords are in Birthday Cake?
The loop is D – Eb – D – Eb (VI5 – bVII – VI5 – bVII) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Birthday Cake in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Birthday Cake?
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 Birthday Cake 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.