Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Old Man on piano
By Neil Young
- D major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 1971
- Easy
Learn Old Man in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – F – C – G
Old Man sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIFbIIICbVIIGIV- DD · F# · A
- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. 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 – G – D
The last chords are bVII – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CGD
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Questions about Old Man
What chords are in Old Man?
The loop is D – F – C – G (I – bIII – bVII – IV) in D major, and the song ends on C – G – D.
What key is Old Man in?
D major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Old Man?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Old Man 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.