Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Suffocate on piano
By J. Holiday
- A minor
- 4/4
- 65 BPM
- Easy
Learn Suffocate in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – Am – Em – F
Suffocate sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Am is A, C and E; Em is E, G and B; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmivAmiEmvFVI- DmD · F · A
- AmA · C · E
- EmE · G · B
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), 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 65 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: F – G – Am
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- GG · B · D
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Questions about Suffocate
What chords are in Suffocate?
The loop is Dm – Am – Em – F (iv – i – v – bVI) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Suffocate in?
A minor, at about 65 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Suffocate?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Suffocate 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.