Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Killer Queen on piano
By Queen
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 1974
- Easy
Learn Killer Queen in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Dm – Gm – Dm – Gm – Gm7 – Gm – Fbm
Killer Queen sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Dm is D, F and A; Gm is G, Bb and D; Gm7 is G, Bb, D and F; Fbm is Fb, Abb and Cb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbVDmviiGmiiiDmviiGmiiiGm7iii7GmiiiFbmbii- BbBb · D · F
- DmD · F · A
- GmG · Bb · D
- Gm7G · Bb · D · F
- FbmFb · Abb · Cb
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Double-clap chords
Quick double claps on beats 2 and 4, leaving beats 1 and 3 empty. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- EbEb · G · Bb
Play next
Questions about Killer Queen
What chords are in Killer Queen?
The loop is Bb – Dm – Gm – Dm – Gm – Gm7 – Gm – Fbm (V – vii – iii – vii – iii – iii7 – iii – bii) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Killer Queen in?
Eb major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Killer Queen?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Killer Queen easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Killer Queen?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.