Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play I'll Take You There on piano
By David Bowie
- D major
- 4/4
- 128 BPM
- 2013
- Easy
Learn I'll Take You There in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E7 – A – Asus4 – Bsus4 – Bm – G
I'll Take You There sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: E7 is E, G#, B and D; A is A, C# and E; Asus4 is A, D and E; Bsus4 is B, E and F#; Bm is B, D and F#; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
E7II7AVAsus4Vsus4Bsus4VIsus4BmviGIV- E7E · G# · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- Asus4A · D · E
- Bsus4B · E · F#
- BmB · D · F#
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Hop-skip heartbeat
Three steps, then a quick hop that skips right over beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 250 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sprint-and-stop chords
Four quick chords in the first half, then a calm, empty second half. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 128 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- DD · F# · A
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Questions about I'll Take You There
What chords are in I'll Take You There?
The loop is E7 – A – Asus4 – Bsus4 – Bm – G (II7 – V – Vsus4 – VIsus4 – vi – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is I'll Take You There in?
D major, at about 128 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I'll Take You There?
Hop-skip heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I'll Take You There easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of I'll Take You There?
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.