Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Living Water on piano
By Bob Carlisle
- D major
- 4/4
- 84 BPM
- I–ii–I–ii loop
- 1996
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Living Water in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – Em – D – Em
How it goes
Living Water sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIEmiiDIEmii- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 84 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Living Water
What chords are in Living Water?
The loop is D – Em – D – Em (I – ii – I – ii) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Living Water in?
D major, at about 84 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Living Water?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Living Water 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.