Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Shambala on piano
Written by Daniel Moore
- A major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- I–V–IV–I loop
- 1973
- Easy
Learn Shambala in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – E – D – A
Shambala sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIEVDIVAI- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Hopscotch steps
Step, step, skip a beat, step: like hopping over a square. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 668 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: E – D – A
The last chords are V – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EDA
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Questions about Shambala
What chords are in Shambala?
The loop is A – E – D – A (I – V – IV – I) in A major, and the song ends on E – D – A.
What key is Shambala in?
A major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Shambala?
Hopscotch steps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Shambala 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.