Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Free Fallin’ on piano
By Tom Petty
- F major
- 4/4
- 92 BPM
- 1989
- Easy
Learn Free Fallin’ in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Bbsus4 – F – Csus4
Free Fallin’ sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Bbsus4 is Bb, Eb and F; Csus4 is C, F and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIBbsus4IVsus4FICsus4Vsus4- FF · A · C
- Bbsus4Bb · Eb · F
- Csus4C · F · G
- 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: Push chords
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Free Fallin’
What chords are in Free Fallin’?
The loop is F – Bbsus4 – F – Csus4 (I – IVsus – I – Vsus) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Free Fallin’ in?
F major, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Free Fallin’?
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 Free Fallin’ 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.