Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Break My Stride on piano
Written by Greg Prestopino & Matthew Wilder
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 108 BPM
- 1983
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Break My Stride in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ab – Bb – Gm
How it goes
Break My Stride sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIAbIVBbVGmiii- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- GmG · Bb · D
- 2
Left hand: Push and land
How it goes
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 108 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb
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Questions about Break My Stride
What chords are in Break My Stride?
The loop is Eb – Ab – Bb – Gm (I – IV – V – iii) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Break My Stride in?
Eb major, at about 108 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Break My Stride?
Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Break My Stride 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.