Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play James on piano
Artist unknown
- D minor
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- i–iv–bVII–bIII loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn James in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – Gm – C – F
How it goes
James sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Gm is G, Bb and D; C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiGmivCVIIFIII- DmD · F · A
- GmG · Bb · D
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
How it goes
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about James
What chords are in James?
The loop is Dm – Gm – C – F (i – iv – bVII – bIII) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.
What key is James in?
D minor, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in James?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is James 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.