Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Grip on piano
By Seeb & Bastille
- E major
- 4/4
- 135 BPM
- IV–I–vi–V loop
- 2018
- Easy
Learn Grip in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – E – C#m – B
Grip sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; C#m is C#, E and G#; B is B, D# and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIVEIC#mviBV- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- C#mC# · E · G#
- BB · D# · F#
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
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 135 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: A – B – E
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE
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Questions about Grip
What chords are in Grip?
The loop is A – E – C#m – B (IV – I – vi – V) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Grip in?
E major, at about 135 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Grip?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Grip 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.