Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Broken Promise Land on piano
Written by Elvis Costello
- E minor
- 4/4
- 126 BPM
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Broken Promise Land in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – D – Em – C
How it goes
Broken Promise Land sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; D is D, F# and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiDVIIEmiCVI- EmE · G · B
- DD · F# · A
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Hop-skip heartbeat
How it goes
Three steps, then a quick hop that skips right over beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 250 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Springy chords
How it goes
A quick double skip at the start, then steady chords to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 126 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm
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Questions about Broken Promise Land
What chords are in Broken Promise Land?
The loop is Em – D – Em – C (i – bVII – i – bVI) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Broken Promise Land in?
E minor, at about 126 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Broken Promise Land?
Hop-skip heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Broken Promise Land 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.