Escapade Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Escapade in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Ab – Bbm – Ab – Bbm
Escapade sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIBbmiiAbIBbmii
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbmBb · Db · F
164 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Pop heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
4
Both hands at 100 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: Ab – Bbm – Ab
The last chords are I – ii – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbmAb

What chords are in Escapade?

The loop is Ab – Bbm – Ab – Bbm (I – ii – I – ii) in Ab major, and the song ends on Ab – Bbm – Ab.

What key is Escapade in?

Ab major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Escapade?

Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Escapade 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.