Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Cold Desert on piano
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill & others
- D major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 2008
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Cold Desert in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – B – A – G
How it goes
Cold Desert sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; B is B, D# and F#; A is A, C# and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIBVIAVGIV- DD · F# · A
- BB · D# · F#
- AA · C# · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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 – G – D
How it goes
The last chords are V – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AGD
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Questions about Cold Desert
What chords are in Cold Desert?
The loop is D – B – A – G (I – VI5 – V – IV) in D major, and the song ends on A – G – D.
What key is Cold Desert in?
D major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cold Desert?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cold Desert 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.