Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Paper Gangsta on piano
Artist unknown
- B minor
- 4/4
- 99 BPM
- Easy
Learn Paper Gangsta in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – G – A – F#m
Paper Gangsta sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; G is G, B and D; A is A, C# and E; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmiGVIAVIIF#mv- BmB · D · F#
- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- F#mF# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 99 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: G – A – Bm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm
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Questions about Paper Gangsta
What chords are in Paper Gangsta?
The loop is Bm – G – A – F#m (i – bVI – bVII – v) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is Paper Gangsta in?
B minor, at about 99 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Paper Gangsta?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Paper Gangsta 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.