Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Coldest Winter on piano
Written by Roland Orzabal
- D# minor
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 2008
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Coldest Winter in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D# – E#m – D#m – C#sus4
How it goes
Coldest Winter sits in D# minor: D# is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D# is D#, F## and A#; E#m is E#, G# and B#; D#m is D#, F# and A#; C#sus4 is C#, F# and G#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D#IE#miiD#miC#sus4VIIsus4- D#D# · F## · A#
- E#mE# · G# · B#
- D#mD# · F# · A#
- C#sus4C# · F# · G#
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Late-hop chords
How it goes
Steady chords with one quick extra hop after beat 3. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: B – C# – D#m
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BC#D#m- BB · D# · F#
- C#C# · E# · G#
Play next
Questions about Coldest Winter
What chords are in Coldest Winter?
The loop is D# – E#m – D#m – C#sus4 (I5 – ii – i – bVIIsus) in D# minor, and the song ends on B – C# – D#m.
What key is Coldest Winter in?
D# minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Coldest Winter?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Coldest Winter 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.