Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Revolution on piano
By The Beatles
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 126 BPM
- 1968
- Medium
Learn Revolution in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Ebsus4 – Bb – Ebsus4
Revolution sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Ebsus4 is Eb, Ab and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEbsus4IVsus4BbIEbsus4IVsus4- BbBb · D · F
- Ebsus4Eb · Ab · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Engine 8ths
The lowest note on every eighth: the engine of rock. Musicians call it root bass · 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Groovy chords
Chords jump around the “ands” for a funky, dancing feel. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 126 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Revolution
What chords are in Revolution?
The loop is Bb – Ebsus4 – Bb – Ebsus4 (I – IVsus4 – I – IVsus4) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Revolution in?
Bb major, at about 126 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Revolution?
Engine 8ths: root bass · 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Revolution 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Revolution?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.