Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Drive Me on piano
Written by Phillip Phillips & Ben Neil
- F# minor
- 4/4
- 104 BPM
- i–bVII–i–bVII loop
- 2012
- Easy
Learn Drive Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F#m – E – F#m – E
Drive Me sits in F# minor: F# is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F#m is F#, A and C#; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F#miEVIIF#miEVII- F#mF# · A · C#
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Hiccup heartbeat
A tiny hiccup just before beat 3, then a push on the “and”. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2a · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 121 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wake-and-run chords
One long chord, then three quick ones running into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 104 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: D – E – F#m
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEF#m- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Drive Me
What chords are in Drive Me?
The loop is F#m – E – F#m – E (i – bVII – i – bVII) in F# minor, and the song ends on D – E – F#m.
What key is Drive Me in?
F# minor, at about 104 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Drive Me?
Hiccup heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2a · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Drive Me 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.