Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Patience on piano
Written by W. Axl Rose, Slash & others
- G major
- 2/2
- 90 BPM
- 1988
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Patience in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – A – D
How it goes
Patience sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; A is A, C# and E; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVGIAIIDV- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 BPM
How it goes
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 – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG
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Questions about Patience
What chords are in Patience?
The loop is C – G – A – D (IV – I – II – V) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Patience in?
G major, at about 90 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Patience?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Patience 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.