Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Cave In on piano
Written by Adam Young
- D major
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- 2009
- Easy
Learn Cave In in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – A – G – D
Cave In sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; A is A, C# and E; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVAVGIVDI- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Lingering chords
Two chords, then a late one after beat 3 that hangs in the air. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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: D – A – D
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DAD
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Questions about Cave In
What chords are in Cave In?
The loop is G – A – G – D (IV – V – IV – I) in D major, and the song ends on D – A – D.
What key is Cave In in?
D major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cave In?
Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cave In 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.