Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Lay, Lady, Lay on piano
By Bob Dylan
- A major
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- 1969
- Easy
Learn Lay, Lady, Lay in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – C#m – G – Bm
Lay, Lady, Lay sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; C#m is C#, E and G#; G is G, B and D; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIC#miiiGbVIIBmii- AA · C# · E
- C#mC# · E · G#
- GG · B · D
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 72 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
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Questions about Lay, Lady, Lay
What chords are in Lay, Lady, Lay?
The loop is A – C#m – G – Bm (I – iii – bVII – ii) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Lay, Lady, Lay in?
A major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lay, Lady, Lay?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lay, Lady, Lay 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.