Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Poetry In Motion on piano
Written by Paul Kaufman & Mike Anthony
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- I–vi–ii–V loop
- 1960
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Poetry In Motion in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb
How it goes
Poetry In Motion sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIFmviBbmiiEbV- AbAb · C · Eb
- FmF · Ab · C
- BbmBb · Db · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
How it goes
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Knock-knock chords
How it goes
Chord, a quick knock-knock, a pause, then one last chord. 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: Bbm – Eb – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbmEbAb
Play next
Questions about Poetry In Motion
What chords are in Poetry In Motion?
The loop is Ab – Fm – Bbm – Eb (I – vi – ii – V) in Ab major, and the song ends on Bbm – Eb – Ab.
What key is Poetry In Motion in?
Ab major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Poetry In Motion?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Poetry In Motion 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.