Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Fascinating Rhythm on piano
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 75 BPM
- 1924
- Easy
Learn Fascinating Rhythm in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Ab – Bb7 – Ab – Bb7 – Bb7 – Ab – Bb – Bb7
Fascinating Rhythm sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 9 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7AbIVBb7V7AbIVBb7V7Bb7V7AbIVBbVBb7V7- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Lub-dub heartbeat
Two quick beats, a pause, two quick beats: just like a real heart. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1& · 3 · 3& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 294 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 75 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: Fm – Ab – Eb
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FmAbEb- FmF · Ab · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
Play next
Questions about Fascinating Rhythm
What chords are in Fascinating Rhythm?
The loop is Bb7 – Ab – Bb7 – Ab – Bb7 – Bb7 – Ab – Bb – Bb7 (V7 – IV – V7 – IV – V7 – IV – V – V7 – IV) in Eb major, and the song ends on Fm – Ab – Eb.
What key is Fascinating Rhythm in?
Eb major, at about 75 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Fascinating Rhythm?
Lub-dub heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 1& · 3 · 3&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Fascinating Rhythm easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 9 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Fascinating Rhythm?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.