Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Hold On on piano
Written by Shawn McDonald & Chris Stevens
- A major
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- 2004
- Easy
Learn Hold On in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dsus4 – E – Dsus4 – E
Hold On sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dsus4 is D, G and A; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Dsus4IVsus4EVDsus4IVsus4EV- Dsus4D · G · A
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 72 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Hold On
What chords are in Hold On?
The loop is Dsus4 – E – Dsus4 – E (IVsus – V5 – IVsus – V5) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Hold On in?
A major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hold On?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hold On 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.