Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Come to the Water on piano
Written by Kristian Stanfill & Brett Younker
- C major
- 4/4
- 78 BPM
- I–Isus–I–Isus loop
- 2012
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Come to the Water in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Csus4 – C – Csus4
How it goes
Come to the Water sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Csus4 is C, F and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CICsus4Isus4CICsus4Isus4- CC · E · G
- Csus4C · F · G
- 2
Left hand: Engine 8ths
How it goes
The lowest note on every eighth: the engine of rock. Musicians call it root bass · 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Ticking clock
How it goes
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 78 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: C – F – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC- FF · A · C
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Questions about Come to the Water
What chords are in Come to the Water?
The loop is C – Csus4 – C – Csus4 (I – Isus – I – Isus) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Come to the Water in?
C major, at about 78 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Come to the Water?
Engine 8ths: root bass · 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Come to the Water 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.