Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Nirvana on piano
By Sam Smith
- E minor
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- Easy
Learn Nirvana in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Bm – Em – Am
Nirvana sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; Bm is B, D and F#; Em is E, G and B; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIIIBmvEmiAmiv- GG · B · D
- BmB · D · F#
- EmE · G · B
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Cartwheel heartbeat
Five evenly spaced notes roll across the beats, then land on 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3e · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 89 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swing push
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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 – D – Em
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Nirvana
What chords are in Nirvana?
The loop is G – Bm – Em – Am (bIII – v – i – iv) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Nirvana in?
E minor, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Nirvana?
Cartwheel heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3e · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Nirvana 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.