Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Suddenly on piano
By Alisa Girard
- D major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- 2000
- Easy
Learn Suddenly in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – B – C – G
Suddenly sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; B is B, D# and F#; C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIIBVICbVIIGIV- EE · G# · B
- BB · D# · F#
- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
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: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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 – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Suddenly
What chords are in Suddenly?
The loop is E – B – C – G (II5 – VI5 – bVII5 – IV5) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Suddenly in?
D major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Suddenly?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Suddenly 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.