Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Daniel on piano
By Elton John
- C major
- 4/4
- 122 BPM
- Medium
Learn Daniel in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Gsus4 – Gsus4
Daniel sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fmaj7 is F, A, C and E; Gsus4 is G, C and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Fmaj7IVmaj7Fmaj7IVmaj7Gsus4Vsus4Gsus4Vsus4- Fmaj7F · A · C · E
- Gsus4G · C · D
- 2
Left hand: Rolling waves
Rolls up to the high third and back down, like a wave on the shore. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-10-5 (open arpeggio), a medium pattern heard in 545 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 122 BPM
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
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Daniel
What chords are in Daniel?
The loop is Fmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Gsus4 – Gsus4 (IVmaj7 – Vsus4 – IVmaj7 – Vsus4) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Daniel in?
C major, at about 122 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Daniel?
Rolling waves: open arpeggio 1-5-10-5, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Daniel 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Daniel?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.