Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.) on piano
By Bill Evans
- E minor
- 4/4
- 95 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Bm – Am – Bm
How it goes
Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.) sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Bm is B, D and F#; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CVIBmvAmivBmv- CC · E · G
- BmB · D · F#
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
How it goes
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Marching chords
How it goes
Two chords per bar, left-right, like a happy little march. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 95 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
Play next
Questions about Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.)
What chords are in Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.)?
The loop is C – Bm – Am – Bm (bVI – v – iv – v) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.) in?
E minor, at about 95 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.)?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Suicide Is Painless (from M.A.S.H.) 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.