Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Letter To Memphis on piano
By Pixies
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 116 BPM
- 1991
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Letter To Memphis in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – C – Ab – Eb
How it goes
Letter To Memphis sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; C is C, E and G; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbICVIAbIVEbI- EbEb · G · Bb
- CC · E · G
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Engine 8ths
How it goes
The lowest note on every eighth: the engine of rock. Musicians call it root bass · 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Deep-breath chords
How it goes
A breath on beat 1, then quick chords pumping to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 116 BPM
How it goes
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
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- BbBb · D · F
Play next
Questions about Letter To Memphis
What chords are in Letter To Memphis?
The loop is Eb – C – Ab – Eb (I5 – VI5 – IV5 – I5) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Letter To Memphis in?
Eb major, at about 116 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Letter To Memphis?
Engine 8ths: root bass · 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Letter To Memphis easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.