Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Monster on piano
By Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
- D minor
- 7/8
- 85 BPM
- 2018
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Monster in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – Am – G – Bb
How it goes
Monster sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiAmvGIVBbVI- DmD · F · A
- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Tiptoe heartbeat
How it goes
One firm note, then three tiptoe steps between the beats. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 245 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 85 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm- CC · E · G
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Questions about Monster
What chords are in Monster?
The loop is Dm – Am – G – Bb (i – v – IV – bVI) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.
What key is Monster in?
D minor, at about 85 beats a minute in 7/8.
What does the left hand play in Monster?
Tiptoe heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Monster 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.