Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Hold On Loosely on piano
By 38 Special
- E major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hold On Loosely in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: B – A – E – E – B – B – D – D – A
How it goes
Hold On Loosely sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 9 chords: B is B, D# and F#; A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BVAIVEIEIBVBVDbVIIDbVIIAIV- BB · D# · F#
- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Hammering bass
How it goes
The same note hammered on every quick beat, dipping only at the end. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8 (broken chord), a medium pattern heard in 280 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Deep-breath chords
How it goes
A breath on beat 1, then quick chords pumping to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: A – B – E
How it goes
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 Hold On Loosely
What chords are in Hold On Loosely?
The loop is B – A – E – E – B – B – D – D – A (V – IV – I – V – bVII – IV – V – IV – I) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Hold On Loosely in?
E major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hold On Loosely?
Hammering bass: broken chord 8-8, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hold On Loosely easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 9 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Hold On Loosely?
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.