Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Emmie on piano
By Laura Nyro
- C major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1968
- Easy
Learn Emmie in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – C – Bm
Emmie sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVCIBmvii- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Dancing heartbeat
Notes dance around the beats, pushing ahead on the “ands”. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 245 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Gospel-clap chords
Skips beat 1, then soulful chords that bounce off the “ands”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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 – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
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Questions about Emmie
What chords are in Emmie?
The loop is C – F – C – Bm (I – IV – I – vii) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Emmie in?
C major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Emmie?
Dancing heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Emmie 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.