Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Holding Out for a Hero on piano
By Frou Frou
- G minor
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- bVI–bIII–bVII–i loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Holding Out for a Hero in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb – F – Gm
How it goes
Holding Out for a Hero sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbVIBbIIIFVIIGmi- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- 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: Ticking clock
How it goes
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 72 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
Play next
Questions about Holding Out for a Hero
What chords are in Holding Out for a Hero?
The loop is Eb – Bb – F – Gm (bVI – bIII – bVII – i) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is Holding Out for a Hero in?
G minor, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Holding Out for a Hero?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Holding Out for a Hero 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.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.