Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Jerk It Out on piano
Written by Joakim Ahlund
- G# minor
- 4/4
- 134 BPM
- i–bIII–bVII–bVI loop
- 2002
- Medium
Learn Jerk It Out in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G#m – B – F# – E
Jerk It Out sits in G# minor: G# is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G#m is G#, B and D#; B is B, D# and F#; F# is F#, A# and C#; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G#miBIIIF#VIIEVI- G#mG# · B · D#
- BB · D# · F#
- F#F# · A# · C#
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hurrying chords
Calm chords in the first half, then twice as fast to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 134 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: E – F# – G#m
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EF#G#m
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Questions about Jerk It Out
What chords are in Jerk It Out?
The loop is G#m – B – F# – E (i – bIII – bVII – bVI) in G# minor, and the song ends on E – F# – G#m.
What key is Jerk It Out in?
G# minor, at about 134 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Jerk It Out?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Jerk It Out 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.