Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Brave Strangers on piano
Written by Bob Seger
- G major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1977
- Easy
Learn Brave Strangers in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gsus4 – G – F – C
Brave Strangers sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gsus4 is G, C and D; G is G, B and D; F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Gsus4Isus4GIFbVIICIV- Gsus4G · C · D
- GG · B · D
- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Push chords
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 120 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- DD · F# · A
Play next
Questions about Brave Strangers
What chords are in Brave Strangers?
The loop is Gsus4 – G – F – C (Isus – I – bVII – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Brave Strangers in?
G major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Brave Strangers?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Brave Strangers 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.