Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Mean Mr. Mustard on piano
By The Beatles
- E major
- 4/4
- 106 BPM
- 1969
- Medium
Learn Mean Mr. Mustard in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: B7 – E – C – B7
Mean Mr. Mustard sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: B7 is B, D#, F# and A; E is E, G# and B; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
B7V7EICbVIB7V7- B7B · D# · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Lub-dub heartbeat
Two quick beats, a pause, two quick beats: just like a real heart. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1& · 3 · 3& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 294 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Deep-breath chords
A breath on beat 1, then quick chords pumping to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 106 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: A – B – E
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- AA · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#
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Questions about Mean Mr. Mustard
What chords are in Mean Mr. Mustard?
The loop is B7 – E – C – B7 (V7 – I – bVI – V7) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Mean Mr. Mustard in?
E major, at about 106 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Mean Mr. Mustard?
Lub-dub heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 1& · 3 · 3&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mean Mr. Mustard easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.