Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Empire on piano
By Shakira
- C major
- 4/4
- 82 BPM
- 2013
- Easy
Learn Empire in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Fm – Bb – C
Empire sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFmivBbbVIICI- CC · E · G
- FmF · Ab · C
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Late-hop footsteps
Steady low-high steps with one quick extra hop after beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 659 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 82 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- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Empire
What chords are in Empire?
The loop is C – Fm – Bb – C (I – iv – bVII – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Empire in?
C major, at about 82 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Empire?
Late-hop footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Empire 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.