Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Chains on piano
Written by Gerry Goffin & Carole King
- A major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1962
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Chains in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A7 – D7 – A – E7
How it goes
Chains sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C; A is A, C# and E; E7 is E, G#, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7I7D7IV7AIE7V7- A7A · C# · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- AA · C# · E
- E7E · G# · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Double-tap drop
How it goes
The same note twice, long then short, then a drop to a lower note. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: A – E7 – A
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AE7A
Play next
Questions about Chains
What chords are in Chains?
The loop is A7 – D7 – A – E7 (I7 – IV7 – I – V7) in A major, and the song ends on A – E7 – A.
What key is Chains in?
A major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Chains?
Double-tap drop: broken chord 8-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Chains 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.