Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Jesus Is On The Mainline on piano
By Angela Bassett/Forest Whitaker
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 125 BPM
- 2013
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Jesus Is On The Mainline in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Bb – Cm – Bb
How it goes
Jesus Is On The Mainline sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Bb is Bb, D and F; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIIBbICmiiBbI- CC · E · G
- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bouncy-ball chords
How it goes
One chord, then chords bouncing on every “and”, like a ball. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 125 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Jesus Is On The Mainline
What chords are in Jesus Is On The Mainline?
The loop is C – Bb – Cm – Bb (II – I – ii – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Jesus Is On The Mainline in?
Bb major, at about 125 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Jesus Is On The Mainline?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Jesus Is On The Mainline 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.