Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Mermaid on piano
Written by Pat Monahan, Espen Lind & others
- C minor
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 2012
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Mermaid in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Bb – Cm – Gm
How it goes
Mermaid sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Cm is C, Eb and G; Gm is G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbVIBbVIICmiGmv- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- GmG · Bb · D
- 2
Left hand: Push and land
How it goes
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 BPM
How it goes
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: Ab – Bb – Cm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm
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Questions about Mermaid
What chords are in Mermaid?
The loop is Ab – Bb – Cm – Gm (bVI – bVII – i – v) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is Mermaid in?
C minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Mermaid?
Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mermaid 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.