Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Jackie Brown on piano
Written by John Mellencamp
- E major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1989
- Easy
Learn Jackie Brown in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – A#dim – B – E
Jackie Brown sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; A#dim is A#, C# and E; B is B, D# and F#; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIVA#dim#iv°BVEI- AA · C# · E
- A#dimA# · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Knocking drop
Three pushes on the same note, then a drop on beat 4. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 210 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Shy chords
Waits out beat 1, then a chord on 2 and a little double on 3. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: A – B – E
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE
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Questions about Jackie Brown
What chords are in Jackie Brown?
The loop is A – A#dim – B – E (IV – #ivo – V – I) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Jackie Brown in?
E major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Jackie Brown?
Knocking drop: broken chord 8-8-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Jackie Brown 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.