Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Hedwig’s Lament on piano
- E minor
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1999
- Medium
Learn Hedwig’s Lament in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – Cdim – Em – Em – C#m7
Hedwig’s Lament sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: Em is E, G and B; Cdim is C, Eb and Gb; C#m7 is C#, E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiCdimvi°EmiEmiC#m7vi7- EmE · G · B
- CdimC · Eb · Gb
- C#m7C# · E · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Breaking wave
Four notes roll up quickly to a bright high top, then let it ring. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-8-10 (open arpeggio), a medium pattern heard in 162 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: C – D – Em
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Hedwig’s Lament
What chords are in Hedwig’s Lament?
The loop is Em – Cdim – Em – Em – C#m7 (i – vi° – i – vi7 – i) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Hedwig’s Lament in?
E minor, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hedwig’s Lament?
Breaking wave: open arpeggio 1-5-8-10, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hedwig’s Lament easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 5 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Hedwig’s Lament?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.