Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Go The Distance on piano
By Michael Bolton
- D major
- 4/4
- 75 BPM
- 1997
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Go The Distance in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gmaj7 – A7 – Dmaj7 – Gmaj7 – Asus4 – D – C – D – C
How it goes
Go The Distance sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 9 chords: Gmaj7 is G, B, D and F#; A7 is A, C#, E and G; Dmaj7 is D, F#, A and C#; Asus4 is A, D and E; D is D, F# and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Gmaj7IVmaj7A7V7Dmaj7Imaj7Gmaj7IVmaj7Asus4Vsus4DICbVIIDICbVII- Gmaj7G · B · D · F#
- A7A · C# · E · G
- Dmaj7D · F# · A · C#
- Asus4A · D · E
- DD · F# · A
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 75 BPM
How it goes
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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Go The Distance
What chords are in Go The Distance?
The loop is Gmaj7 – A7 – Dmaj7 – Gmaj7 – Asus4 – D – C – D – C (IVmaj7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – Vsus4 – I – bVII – I – bVII) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Go The Distance in?
D major, at about 75 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Go The Distance?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Go The Distance 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 Go The Distance?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.