Piano chords · Film & wonder
Mad World: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Jennifer Ann
- A minor
- 4/4
- 85 BPM
- 1982
- Tricky
Mad World written out as piano music: the i – III – VII – IV loop in A minor for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays rainbow sweep (wide arpeggio 1-5-8-10-15), and the right hand sings the tune.
Mad World chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in A minor. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Am | i | A C E |
| 2 | C | III | C E G |
| 3 | G | VII | G B D |
| 4 | D | IV | D F# A |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: rainbow sweep (wide arpeggio 1-5-8-10-15) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Am – C – G – D chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
Play next
Questions about Mad World
Does the sheet music for Mad World have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Mad World?
The loop is Am – C – G – D (i – III – VII – IV) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Mad World in?
A minor, at about 85 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Mad World?
Rainbow sweep: wide arpeggio 1-5-8-10-15, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mad World easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Mad World?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.