Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Hold On Tight on piano
Artist unknown
- G major
- 4/4
- 145 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- Medium
Learn Hold On Tight in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – C
Hold On Tight sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVGICIV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 145 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 – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
Play next
Questions about Hold On Tight
What chords are in Hold On Tight?
The loop is G – C – G – C (I – IV – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Hold On Tight in?
G major, at about 145 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hold On Tight?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hold On Tight easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Hold On Tight?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro 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.