Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Smoke on piano
Written by Jon Nite, Ross Copperman & others
- G major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 2014
- Easy
Learn Smoke in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – C
Smoke sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVGICIV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
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
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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
Play next
Questions about Smoke
What chords are in Smoke?
The loop is G – C – G – C (I – IV – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Smoke in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Smoke?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Smoke 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.