Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Lean On Me on piano
By Glee Cast
- A major
- 4/4
- 95 BPM
- Easy
Learn Lean On Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C#m – Bm – A – Bm
Lean On Me sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C#m is C#, E and G#; Bm is B, D and F#; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C#miiiBmiiAIBmii- C#mC# · E · G#
- BmB · D · F#
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Marching chords
Two chords per bar, left-right, like a happy little march. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 95 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 – D – A
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ADA- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Lean On Me
What chords are in Lean On Me?
The loop is C#m – Bm – A – Bm (iii – ii – I – ii) in A major, and the song ends on A – D – A.
What key is Lean On Me in?
A major, at about 95 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lean On Me?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lean On Me 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.