Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Burnt Out Town on piano
By Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
- A major
- 4/4
- 105 BPM
- 2011
- Easy
Learn Burnt Out Town in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – F – E – A
Burnt Out Town sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; F is F, A and C; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIFbVIEVAI- AA · C# · E
- FF · A · C
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Little-hill climb
Up the chord three steps, then a jump back to the starting note. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5-1 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 159 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
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 105 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: A – G – A
The last chords are I – bVII – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AGA- GG · B · D
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Questions about Burnt Out Town
What chords are in Burnt Out Town?
The loop is A – F – E – A (I5 – bVI – V – I5) in A major, and the song ends on A – G – A.
What key is Burnt Out Town in?
A major, at about 105 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Burnt Out Town?
Little-hill climb: broken chord 1-3-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Burnt Out Town 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.