Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Chain Gang: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Sam Cooke
- G major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- I–vi–IV–V loop
- 1960
- Medium
Chain Gang written out as piano music: the I – vi – IV – V loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays island pulse (root bass · tresillo 3-3-2) and the right hand hurrying chords.
Chain Gang chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | I | G B D |
| 2 | Em | vi | E G B |
| 3 | C | IV | C E G |
| 4 | D | V | D F# A |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: island pulse (root bass · tresillo 3-3-2) in the left hand and hurrying chords in the right, over the G – Em – C – D chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about Chain Gang
Does the sheet music for Chain Gang have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Chain Gang?
The loop is G – Em – C – D (I – vi – IV – V) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Chain Gang in?
G major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Chain Gang?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Chain Gang easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.