Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Blue on piano

Written by Beyoncé Knowles & Boots

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Blue in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: G – G – Em – Eb
Blue sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; Em is E, G and B; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIGIEmviEbbVI
- GG · B · D
- EmE · G · B
- EbEb · G · Bb
2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
Hurry-and-wait pulseRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Soft chordsBlock chords · BalladRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 90 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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG
- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A

What chords are in Blue?

The loop is G – G – Em – Eb (I – vi – bVI – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.

What key is Blue in?

G major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Blue?

Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Blue 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.

Can I hear the real melody of Blue?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure 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.