Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Hurricane on piano
Written by Natalie Grant, Matt Bronleewe & others
- G major
- 4/4
- 104 BPM
- IV–I–vi–IV loop
- 2013
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hurricane in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – Em – C
How it goes
Hurricane sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVGIEmviCIV- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
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: Jump-in chords
How it goes
Jumps in just after beat 1, pumps through, and stops before the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 104 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: C – D – G
How it goes
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 Hurricane
What chords are in Hurricane?
The loop is C – G – Em – C (IV – I – vi – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Hurricane in?
G major, at about 104 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hurricane?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hurricane 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.