Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
River: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Steve Green
- C major
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- 1998
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
River written out as piano music: the I – V – IVmaj7 – I loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays gentle rocking (broken chord 1-5-8-5) and the right hand pausing chords.
River chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | I | C E G |
| 2 | G | V | G B D |
| 3 | Fmaj7 | IVmaj7 | F A C E |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: gentle rocking (broken chord 1-5-8-5) in the left hand and pausing chords in the right, over the C – G – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about River
Does the sheet music for River have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in River?
The loop is C – G – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7 (I – V – IVmaj7 – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is River in?
C major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in River?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is River 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.
Can I hear the real melody of River?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.