Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Cruella De Vil on piano

By Mel Leven

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Cruella De Vil in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: G – Eb7 – Eb7 – F7 – E7 – A7 – D7
How it goes
Cruella De Vil sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: G is G, B and D; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; E7 is E, G#, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIEb7bVI7Eb7bVI7F7bVII7E7VI7A7II7D7V7
- GG · B · D
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- E7E · G# · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
How it goes
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Lazy footstepsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pumping chordsPumping 8ths · RockRight handMedium
4
Both hands at 80 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
- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A

What chords are in Cruella De Vil?

The loop is G – Eb7 – Eb7 – F7 – E7 – A7 – D7 (I – bVI7 – bVII7 – VI7 – II7 – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.

What key is Cruella De Vil in?

G major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Cruella De Vil?

Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Cruella De Vil easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 7 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.

Can I hear the real melody of Cruella De Vil?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.