Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Black Balloon on piano
Artist unknown
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Isus–I–Isus–I loop
- Easy
Learn Black Balloon in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Csus4 – C – Csus4 – C
Black Balloon sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Csus4 is C, F and G; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Csus4Isus4CICsus4Isus4CI- Csus4C · F · G
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Rush-and-step pulse
Three quick notes tumble out, a pause, then one high step on beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 157 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Cartwheel chords
Five evenly spaced chords roll across the beats, then land on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 BPM
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
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about Black Balloon
What chords are in Black Balloon?
The loop is Csus4 – C – Csus4 – C (Isus – I – Isus – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Black Balloon in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Black Balloon?
Rush-and-step pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Black Balloon 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.