Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Lord, I Want To Be A Christian on piano
Written by African-American Spiritual
- D major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 1999
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Lord, I Want To Be A Christian in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – G – D – G
How it goes
Lord, I Want To Be A Christian sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmviGIVDIGIV- BmB · D · F#
- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Climb-and-jump
How it goes
Up the chord one note per beat, then a big jump back to the bottom. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-1 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 146 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 80 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 – Gm – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GGmD- GmG · Bb · D
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Questions about Lord, I Want To Be A Christian
What chords are in Lord, I Want To Be A Christian?
The loop is Bm – G – D – G (vi – IV – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – Gm – D.
What key is Lord, I Want To Be A Christian in?
D major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lord, I Want To Be A Christian?
Climb-and-jump: broken chord 1-5-8-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lord, I Want To Be A Christian 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.