Piano chords · Film & wonder
Empire State Of Mind: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys
- F major
- 4/4
- 87 BPM
- I–V–IV–I loop
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Empire State Of Mind written out as piano music: the I – V – IV – I loop in F major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays thunder tremolo (octave tremolo), and the right hand sings the tune.
Empire State Of Mind chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in F major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | I | F A C |
| 2 | C | V | C E G |
| 3 | Bb | IV | Bb D F |
| 4 | F | I | F A C |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: thunder tremolo (octave tremolo) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the F – C – Bb – F chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about Empire State Of Mind
Does the sheet music for Empire State Of Mind have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Empire State Of Mind?
The loop is F – C – Bb – F (I – V – IV – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Empire State Of Mind in?
F major, at about 87 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Empire State Of Mind?
Thunder tremolo: octave tremolo, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Empire State Of Mind easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.