Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Brandenburg Gate on piano
By Dave Brubeck
- D minor
- 4/4
- 135 BPM
- 1959
- Easy
Learn Brandenburg Gate in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A7 – Dm – Gm – C7
Brandenburg Gate sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7V7DmiGmivC7VII7- A7A · C# · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Island seesaw
Low, high, low in the three-three-two island rhythm. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 723 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 135 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: Bb – C – Dm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Brandenburg Gate
What chords are in Brandenburg Gate?
The loop is A7 – Dm – Gm – C7 (V7 – i – iv – bVII7) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.
What key is Brandenburg Gate in?
D minor, at about 135 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Brandenburg Gate?
Island seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Brandenburg Gate 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.