Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Lullabye on piano
By Billy Joel
- G major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 1993
- Easy
Learn Lullabye in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Cm – G – G – G – Cm – G – G
Lullabye sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: G is G, B and D; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICmivGIGIGICmivGIGI- GG · B · D
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Heartbeat chords
Long, short, long: chords on the pop heartbeat, then a rest. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Lullabye
What chords are in Lullabye?
The loop is G – Cm – G – G – G – Cm – G – G (I – iv – I – iv – I – iv – I – iv) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Lullabye in?
G major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lullabye?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lullabye easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Lullabye?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the bass riff of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.