Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Monsters University on piano
By Randy Newman
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–V7–I–I7 loop
- 2013
- Easy
Learn Monsters University in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – F7 – Bb – Bb7
Monsters University sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIF7V7BbIBb7I7- BbBb · D · F
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Monsters University
What chords are in Monsters University?
The loop is Bb – F7 – Bb – Bb7 (I – V7 – I – I7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Monsters University in?
Bb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Monsters University?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Monsters University 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.