Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Shake It Off on piano
By Mariah Carey
- B minor
- 2/2
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Learn Shake It Off in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – Am – G – Bm
Shake It Off sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmiAmviiGVIBmi- BmB · D · F#
- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Lingering footsteps
Two steps, then one late note after beat 3 that hangs in the air. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 133 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Lingering chords
Two chords, then a late one after beat 3 that hangs in the air. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: G – A – Bm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Shake It Off
What chords are in Shake It Off?
The loop is Bm – Am – G – Bm (i – bvii – bVI – i) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is Shake It Off in?
B minor, at about 100 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Shake It Off?
Lingering footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Shake It Off 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.