Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Controversy: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Prince
- B major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1981
- Easy
Controversy written out as piano music: the V7 – iii – II – I loop in B major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)), and the right hand sings the tune.
Controversy chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in B major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F#7 | V7 | F# A# C# E |
| 2 | D#m | iii | D# F# A# |
| 3 | C# | II | C# E# G# |
| 4 | B | I | B D# F# |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the F#7 – D#m – C# – B chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about Controversy
Does the sheet music for Controversy have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Controversy?
The loop is F#7 – D#m – C# – B (V7 – iii – II – I) in B major, and the song ends on E – F# – B.
What key is Controversy in?
B major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Controversy?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Controversy 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.