Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Hot For Teacher on piano
Written by David Lee Roth, Edward Van Halen & others
- C major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1984
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hot For Teacher in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – Eb – D – Am
How it goes
Hot For Teacher sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmviEbbIIIDIIAmvi- AmA · C · E
- EbEb · G · Bb
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Run-up footsteps
How it goes
Four steady steps plus a quick extra one that leads into the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 581 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Gospel-clap chords
How it goes
Skips beat 1, then soulful chords that bounce off the “ands”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Hot For Teacher
What chords are in Hot For Teacher?
The loop is Am – Eb – D – Am (vi – bIII – II – vi) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Hot For Teacher in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hot For Teacher?
Run-up footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hot For Teacher 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.