Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Rise Up on piano
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon & others
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 94 BPM
- I–V–vi–IV loop
- 2017
- Easy
Learn Rise Up in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb – Cm – Ab
Rise Up sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Cm is C, Eb and G; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBbVCmviAbIV- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 94 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: Cm – Ab – Eb
The last chords are vi – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CmAbEb
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Questions about Rise Up
What chords are in Rise Up?
The loop is Eb – Bb – Cm – Ab (I – V – vi – IV) in Eb major, and the song ends on Cm – Ab – Eb.
What key is Rise Up in?
Eb major, at about 94 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Rise Up?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Rise Up 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.