Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Cold Sweat, Pt. 1 on piano
By James Brown
- D major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Learn Cold Sweat, Pt. 1 in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F7 – C7 – F7
Cold Sweat, Pt. 1 sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7bVII7F7bIII7C7bVII7F7bIII7- C7C · E · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Hop-skip heartbeat
Three steps, then a quick hop that skips right over beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 250 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Late-knock chords
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Cold Sweat, Pt. 1
What chords are in Cold Sweat, Pt. 1?
The loop is C7 – F7 – C7 – F7 (bVII7 – bIII7 – bVII7 – bIII7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Cold Sweat, Pt. 1 in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cold Sweat, Pt. 1?
Hop-skip heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cold Sweat, Pt. 1 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.