Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Break My Mind on piano
Written by John D. Loudermilk
- G major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- I–V7–I–IV loop
- 1966
- Easy
Learn Break My Mind in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D7 – G – C
Break My Mind sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D7 is D, 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.
GID7V7GICIV- GG · B · D
- D7D · F# · A · C
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. 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: G – D7 – G
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GD7G
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Questions about Break My Mind
What chords are in Break My Mind?
The loop is G – D7 – G – C (I – V7 – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on G – D7 – G.
What key is Break My Mind in?
G major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Break My Mind?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Break My Mind 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.