Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Friends On The Other Side on piano
By Keith David
- A minor
- 4/4
- 126 BPM
- V7–i–V7–i loop
- 2009
- Easy
Learn Friends On The Other Side in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E7 – Am – E7 – Am
Friends On The Other Side sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E7 is E, G#, B and D; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
E7V7AmiE7V7Ami- E7E · G# · B · D
- AmA · C · E
- 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: 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 126 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: F – G – Am
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Friends On The Other Side
What chords are in Friends On The Other Side?
The loop is E7 – Am – E7 – Am (V7 – i – V7 – i) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Friends On The Other Side in?
A minor, at about 126 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Friends On The Other Side?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Friends On The Other Side 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.