Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Fragile on piano
Written by Sting
- E minor
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1987
- Easy
Learn Fragile in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – B – Em – Em
Fragile sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; B is B, D# and F#; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CVIBVEmiEmi- CC · E · G
- BB · D# · F#
- EmE · G · B
- 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.
- 3
Right hand: Bouncy-ball chords
One chord, then chords bouncing on every “and”, like a ball. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: C – D – Em
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- DD · F# · A
Play next
Questions about Fragile
What chords are in Fragile?
The loop is C – B – Em – Em (VI – V – i – VI) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Fragile in?
E minor, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Fragile?
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 Fragile 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Fragile?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.