Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play People Get Ready on piano
By Bob Marley
- D major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- Easy
Learn People Get Ready in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm7 – G – D – D – Bm7 – G – D
People Get Ready sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: Bm7 is B, D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bm7vi7GIVDIDIBm7vi7GIVDI- Bm7B · D · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. 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: Em – G – D
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EmGD- EmE · G · B
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Questions about People Get Ready
What chords are in People Get Ready?
The loop is Bm7 – G – D – D – Bm7 – G – D (vi7 – IV – I – vi7 – IV – I – vi7) in D major, and the song ends on Em – G – D.
What key is People Get Ready in?
D major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in People Get Ready?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is People Get Ready easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of People Get Ready?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.