Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Laura on piano

By David Raksin

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Laura in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Am7 – Ab7 – D7 – G – G
Laura sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: Am7 is A, C, E and G; Ab7 is Ab, C, Eb and Gb; D7 is D, F#, A and C; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Am7vi7Ab7bVI7D7II7GVGV
- Am7A · C · E · G
- Ab7Ab · C · Eb · Gb
- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
2
Left hand: Hopscotch steps
Step, step, skip a beat, step: like hopping over a square. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 668 songs of the library.
Hopscotch stepsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Steady chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 90 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC
- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G

What chords are in Laura?

The loop is Am7 – Ab7 – D7 – G – G (vi7 – bVI7 – II7 – V – vi7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.

What key is Laura in?

C major, at about 90 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Laura?

Hopscotch steps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Laura easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Laura?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.