Grand Central Station Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Grand Central Station in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: D – A – G – D
How it goes
Grand Central Station sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIAVGIVDI
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- GG · B · D
202 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
Seesaw bassRoot–fifth bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Circling light
How it goes
Three notes circle round and round in a soft, glowing loop. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Circling lightBroken-chord figure · Film scoreRight handMedium
4
Both hands at 120 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

What chords are in Grand Central Station?

The loop is D – A – G – D (I – V – IV – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.

What key is Grand Central Station in?

D major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Grand Central Station?

Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Grand Central Station easy to play on piano?

It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.