Broken-Hearted Melody Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Broken-Hearted Melody in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: F7 – Bb – F7 – Bb
Broken-Hearted Melody sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F7V7BbIF7V7BbI
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
414 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Island zigzag
A jump up, then down past the start, in the three-three-two rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
Island zigzagBroken chord · BalladLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Freeze-tag chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 100 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 – F7 – Bb
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbF7Bb

What chords are in Broken-Hearted Melody?

The loop is F7 – Bb – F7 – Bb (V7 – I – V7 – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – F7 – Bb.

What key is Broken-Hearted Melody in?

Bb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Broken-Hearted Melody?

Island zigzag: broken chord 8-12-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Broken-Hearted Melody 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.