Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Suddenly on piano
Written by Billy Ocean & Keith Diamond
- Bb minor
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- i–bVII–i–bVII loop
- 1984
- Easy
Learn Suddenly in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bbm – Ab – Bbm – Ab
Suddenly sits in Bb minor: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbmiAbVIIBbmiAbVII- BbmBb · Db · F
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: Gb – Ab – Bbm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GbAbBbm- GbGb · Bb · Db
Play next
Questions about Suddenly
What chords are in Suddenly?
The loop is Bbm – Ab – Bbm – Ab (i – bVII – i – bVII) in Bb minor, and the song ends on Gb – Ab – Bbm.
What key is Suddenly in?
Bb minor, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Suddenly?
Stride jumps: stride, 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.