Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Down By The River: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Neil Young
- D major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- ii–V–ii–V loop
- Easy
Down By The River written out as piano music: the ii – V – ii – V loop in D major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays lazy footsteps (root bass · 1 · 3 · 4) and the right hand steady chords.
Down By The River chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in D 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 | Em | ii | E G B |
| 2 | A | V | A C# E |
| 3 | Em | ii | E G B |
| 4 | A | V | A C# E |
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: lazy footsteps (root bass · 1 · 3 · 4) in the left hand and steady chords in the right, over the Em – A – Em – A 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 Down By The River
Does the sheet music for Down By The River 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 Down By The River?
The loop is Em – A – Em – A (ii – V – ii – V) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Down By The River in?
D major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Down By The River?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Down By The River 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.