Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Bright Lights Bigger City on piano

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Tuning the piano…

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Learn Bright Lights Bigger City in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Bb – Bbsus4 – Bb – Ebm
Bright Lights Bigger City sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Bbsus4 is Bb, Eb and F; Ebm is Eb, Gb and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIBbsus4Isus4BbIEbmiv
- BbBb · D · F
- Bbsus4Bb · Eb · F
- EbmEb · Gb · Bb
2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Pop heartbeatRoot 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 110 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 – Ebm – Bb
The last chords are I – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbEbmBb

What chords are in Bright Lights Bigger City?

The loop is Bb – Bbsus4 – Bb – Ebm (I – Isus – I – iv) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – Ebm – Bb.

What key is Bright Lights Bigger City in?

Bb major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Bright Lights Bigger City?

Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Bright Lights Bigger City 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.