Piano chords · Film & wonder
How to play Black Star on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 64 BPM
- I–V–vi–IV loop
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Black Star in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – Am – F
How it goes
Black Star sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; Am is A, C and E; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIGVAmviFIV- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- AmA · C · E
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Thunder tremolo
How it goes
An octave shaking fast: thunder and suspense. Musicians call it octave tremolo (tremolo), a tricky pattern heard in 150 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 64 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: Am – F – C
How it goes
The last chords are vi – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmFC
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Questions about Black Star
What chords are in Black Star?
The loop is C – G – Am – F (I – V – vi – IV) in C major, and the song ends on Am – F – C.
What key is Black Star in?
C major, at about 64 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Black Star?
Thunder tremolo: octave tremolo, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Black Star easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky 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.