Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Little Lion Man on piano
- D minor
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- 2009
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Little Lion Man in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Dm – Bb – F
How it goes
Little Lion Man sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIIIDmiBbVIFIII- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Upside-down pulse
How it goes
Every note lands between the beats, so it bounces like reggae. Musicians call it root bass · offbeats (&s) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 176 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 138 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm- CC · E · G
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Questions about Little Lion Man
What chords are in Little Lion Man?
The loop is F – Dm – Bb – F (bIII – i – bVI – bIII) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.
What key is Little Lion Man in?
D minor, at about 138 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Little Lion Man?
Upside-down pulse: root bass · offbeats (&s), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Little Lion Man 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.