Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Elaborate Lives on piano
Artist unknown
- F# major
- 4/4
- 85 BPM
- I–V–I–IV loop
- 1998
- Easy
Learn Elaborate Lives in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F# – C# – F# – B
Elaborate Lives sits in F# major: F# is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F# is F#, A# and C#; C# is C#, E# and G#; B is B, D# and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F#IC#VF#IBIV- F#F# · A# · C#
- C#C# · E# · G#
- BB · D# · F#
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 85 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: F# – C# – F#
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
F#C#F#
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Questions about Elaborate Lives
What chords are in Elaborate Lives?
The loop is F# – C# – F# – B (I – V – I – IV) in F# major, and the song ends on F# – C# – F#.
What key is Elaborate Lives in?
F# major, at about 85 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Elaborate Lives?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Elaborate Lives 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.