Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Expressing Yourself on piano
By Elton John
- B major
- 4/4
- 84 BPM
- 2005
- Easy
Learn Expressing Yourself in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G# – A#m – Bdim – G#
Expressing Yourself sits in B major: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G# is G#, B# and D#; A#m is A#, C# and E#; Bdim is B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G#VIA#mviiBdimi°G#VI- G#G# · B# · D#
- A#mA# · C# · E#
- BdimB · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 84 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: E – F# – B
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EF#B- EE · G# · B
- F#F# · A# · C#
- BB · D# · F#
Play next
Questions about Expressing Yourself
What chords are in Expressing Yourself?
The loop is G# – A#m – Bdim – G# (VI – vii – io – VI) in B major, and the song ends on E – F# – B.
What key is Expressing Yourself in?
B major, at about 84 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Expressing Yourself?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Expressing Yourself 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.