Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play High And Dry on piano
By Radiohead
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1994
- Easy
Learn High And Dry in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Fm – Ab – Eb
High And Dry sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIFmiiAbIVEbI- EbEb · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swing push
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about High And Dry
What chords are in High And Dry?
The loop is Eb – Fm – Ab – Eb (I5 – ii – IV – I5) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is High And Dry in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in High And Dry?
Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is High And Dry 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.