Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Ride on piano

Written by Zsuzsanna Ward, Dave Bassett & others

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Ride in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: C – F – Dm – F – C – F – C – F
How it goes
Ride sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CVIIFIIIDmiFIIICVIIFIIICVIIFIII
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Walking rootsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Wait-a-beat chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 160 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm
- BbBb · D · F

What chords are in Ride?

The loop is C – F – Dm – F – C – F – C – F (VII – III – i – III – VII – III – VII – III) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.

What key is Ride in?

D minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Ride?

Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Ride easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Ride?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro 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.