Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Material Girl on piano
Written by Peter Brown & Robert Rans
- C major
- 4/4
- 130 BPM
- 1984
- Easy
Learn Material Girl in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – C – C7 – C
Material Girl sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7I7CIC7I7CI- C7C · E · G · Bb
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Double-clap chords
Quick double claps on beats 2 and 4, leaving beats 1 and 3 empty. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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 – G7 – C
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CG7C- G7G · B · D · F
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Questions about Material Girl
What chords are in Material Girl?
The loop is C7 – C – C7 – C (I7 – I – I7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is Material Girl in?
C major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Material Girl?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Material Girl 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.