Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Cruise on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Cruise in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Bb – F – Gm – Eb
How it goes
Cruise sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIFVGmviEbIV
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- EbEb · G · Bb
266 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Walking rootsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
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.
Late-hop chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 160 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: Gm – Eb – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are vi – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmEbBb

What chords are in Cruise?

The loop is Bb – F – Gm – Eb (I – V – vi – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Gm – Eb – Bb.

What key is Cruise in?

Bb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Cruise?

Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Cruise 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.