Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Complicated on piano
By Carolyn Dawn Johnson
- G major
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- I–I7–IV–I loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Complicated in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – G7 – C – G
How it goes
Complicated sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIG7I7CIVGI- GG · B · D
- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
How it goes
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleep-in chords
How it goes
Quiet for half the bar, then three chords wake up near the end. 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: C – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Complicated
What chords are in Complicated?
The loop is G – G7 – C – G (I – I7 – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Complicated in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Complicated?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Complicated 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.