Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Eighty One on piano
By Miles Davis
- F major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1965
- Easy
Learn Eighty One in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fsus4 – Bbsus4 – Fsus4 – Bbsus4
Eighty One sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fsus4 is F, Bb and C; Bbsus4 is Bb, Eb and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Fsus4Isus4Bbsus4IVsus4Fsus4Isus4Bbsus4IVsus4- Fsus4F · Bb · C
- Bbsus4Bb · Eb · F
- 2
Left hand: Island zigzag
A jump up, then down past the start, in the three-three-two rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Eighty One
What chords are in Eighty One?
The loop is Fsus4 – Bbsus4 – Fsus4 – Bbsus4 (Isus – IVsus – Isus – IVsus) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Eighty One in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Eighty One?
Island zigzag: broken chord 8-12-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Eighty One 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.