Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Hey Brother on piano
Written by Tim Bergling, Salem Al Fakir & others
- G minor
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- 2013
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hey Brother in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F – Gm – Eb
How it goes
Hey Brother sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIIIFVIIGmiEbVI- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bouncy-ball chords
How it goes
One chord, then chords bouncing on every “and”, like a ball. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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: Eb – F – Gm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFGm
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Questions about Hey Brother
What chords are in Hey Brother?
The loop is Bb – F – Gm – Eb (bIII – bVII – i – bVI) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is Hey Brother in?
G minor, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hey Brother?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hey Brother 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.