Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Lake Shore Drive on piano
Written by Eugene Von Heitlinger
- E major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1971
- Easy
Learn Lake Shore Drive in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – C#m – G#m – E
Lake Shore Drive sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; C#m is C#, E and G#; G#m is G#, B and D#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIC#mviG#miiiEI- EE · G# · B
- C#mC# · E · G#
- G#mG# · B · D#
- 2
Left hand: Yo-yo bounce
A long high root, a dip down, and back up like a yo-yo. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 629 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Eager chords
Jumps in early before beat 3, like the chords can’t wait. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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- AA · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#
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Questions about Lake Shore Drive
What chords are in Lake Shore Drive?
The loop is E – C#m – G#m – E (I – vi – iii – I) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Lake Shore Drive in?
E major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Lake Shore Drive?
Yo-yo bounce: broken chord 8-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lake Shore Drive 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.