Piano chords · Rock drive

How to play Birthday on piano

Written by Katy Perry, Lukasz Gottwald & others

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Birthday in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: F – Dm7 – F – Dm – C
How it goes
Birthday sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: F is F, A and C; Dm7 is D, F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIVDm7ii7FIVDmiiCI
- FF · A · C
- Dm7D · F · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- CC · E · G
2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Heartbeat octavesRocking octaves · RockLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
How it goes
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Freeze-tag chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 126 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC
- GG · B · D

What chords are in Birthday?

The loop is F – Dm7 – F – Dm – C (IV – ii7 – IV – ii – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.

What key is Birthday in?

C major, at about 126 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Birthday?

Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Birthday easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Birthday?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.