Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Real Life on piano
Written by Abel Tesfaye, Jason Quenneville & others
- D major
- 4/4
- 91 BPM
- IV–vi–I–IV loop
- 2015
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Real Life in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Bm – D – G
How it goes
Real Life sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; Bm is B, D and F#; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVBmviDIGIV- GG · B · D
- BmB · D · F#
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Marching giant
How it goes
Thick three-note chords on every beat, rocking between two shapes. Musicians call it lh triads (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 91 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Real Life
What chords are in Real Life?
The loop is G – Bm – D – G (IV – vi – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Real Life in?
D major, at about 91 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Real Life?
Marching giant: lh triads, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Real Life easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.