Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Listen on piano
By Bob Seger
- F major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–V–IV–I loop
- 2014
- Easy
Learn Listen in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – C – Bb – F
Listen sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FICVBbIVFI- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hide-and-seek chords
Hides on beat 1, pops up on 2, sneaks in before beat 4, then lands on it. 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF
Play next
Questions about Listen
What chords are in Listen?
The loop is F – C – Bb – F (I – V – IV – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Listen in?
F major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Listen?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Listen 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.