Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Dark Horse on piano
By Katy Perry
- D major
- 2/2
- 132 BPM
- IV–I–vi–V loop
- 2013
- Medium
Learn Dark Horse in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – Bm – A
Dark Horse sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Bm is B, D and F#; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVDIBmviAV- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- BmB · D · F#
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Push and land
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Double-skip chords
Steady chords with two quick skips, one mid-bar and one at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD
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Questions about Dark Horse
What chords are in Dark Horse?
The loop is G – D – Bm – A (IV – I – vi – V) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Dark Horse in?
D major, at about 132 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Dark Horse?
Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Dark Horse 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 Dark Horse?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.