Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Paparazzi on piano
By Lady Gaga
- C minor
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- 2008
- Easy
Learn Paparazzi in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Eb – Fm – Db
Paparazzi sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Db is Db, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbVIEbIIIFmivDbbII- AbAb · C · Eb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- DbDb · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Knock-knock footsteps
Step, then a quick knock-knock, a pause, and one last step. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 471 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
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 110 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: Ab – Bb – Cm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
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Questions about Paparazzi
What chords are in Paparazzi?
The loop is Ab – Eb – Fm – Db (bVI – bIII – iv – bII) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is Paparazzi in?
C minor, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Paparazzi?
Knock-knock footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Paparazzi 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.