Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Bitter Sweet Symphony on piano
By The Verve
- E major
- 4/4
- 92 BPM
- 1997
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Bitter Sweet Symphony in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – E – Bm – Asus4
How it goes
Bitter Sweet Symphony sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; Bm is B, D and F#; Asus4 is A, D and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIVEIBmvAsus4IVsus4- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- BmB · D · F#
- Asus4A · D · E
- 2
Left hand: Racing heartbeat
How it goes
One calm beat, then non-stop quick notes racing to the end. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4 · 4& (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 431 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Push chords
How it goes
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- BB · D# · F#
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Questions about Bitter Sweet Symphony
What chords are in Bitter Sweet Symphony?
The loop is A – E – Bm – Asus4 (IV – I – v – IVsus) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Bitter Sweet Symphony in?
E major, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Bitter Sweet Symphony?
Racing heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4 · 4&, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bitter Sweet Symphony 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.