Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Sullivan Street on piano
Written by Adam Duritz
- D major
- 4/4
- 75 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1993
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Sullivan Street in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – D – G
How it goes
Sullivan Street sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVDIGIV- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Late-hop footsteps
How it goes
Steady low-high steps with one quick extra hop after beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 659 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 75 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: D – G – D
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DGD
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Questions about Sullivan Street
What chords are in Sullivan Street?
The loop is D – G – D – G (I – IV – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on D – G – D.
What key is Sullivan Street in?
D major, at about 75 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Sullivan Street?
Late-hop footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Sullivan Street 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.