Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Manhattan on piano
Written by Sara Bareilles
- A major
- 3/4
- 100 BPM
- 2013
- Easy
Learn Manhattan in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – A – F#m – A
Manhattan sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIAIF#mviAI- AA · C# · E
- F#mF# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Waltz roots
One low note on each of the three beats: a simple waltz floor. Musicians call it root bass · 3/4 quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 391 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
Play next
Questions about Manhattan
What chords are in Manhattan?
The loop is A – A – F#m – A (I5 – I – vi – I) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Manhattan in?
A major, at about 100 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Manhattan?
Waltz roots: root bass · 3/4 quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Manhattan 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.