Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Stop This Train on piano
Written by John Mayer & Pino Palladino
- D major
- 2/2
- 116 BPM
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Stop This Train in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – Dsus4 – D – Dsus4
How it goes
Stop This Train sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; Dsus4 is D, G and A; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVDsus4Isus4DIDsus4Isus4- GG · B · D
- Dsus4D · G · A
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Peekaboo chords
How it goes
A chord on 2, then two surprises popping up between the beats. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 116 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Stop This Train
What chords are in Stop This Train?
The loop is G – Dsus4 – D – Dsus4 (IV – Isus – I – Isus) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Stop This Train in?
D major, at about 116 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Stop This Train?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Stop This Train 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.