Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Saturday Sun on piano
Written by Vance Joy & Dave Bassett
- Ab major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 2018
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Saturday Sun in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Db – Fbm – Fm
How it goes
Saturday Sun sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Db is Db, F and Ab; Fbm is Fb, Abb and Cb; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIIIDbIVFbmbviFmvi- CC · E · G
- DbDb · F · Ab
- FbmFb · Abb · Cb
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
How it goes
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 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: Db – Eb – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about Saturday Sun
What chords are in Saturday Sun?
The loop is C – Db – Fbm – Fm (III – IV – bvi – vi) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Saturday Sun in?
Ab major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Saturday Sun?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Saturday Sun 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.