Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Tearjerker on piano
By Jarvis Cocker
- G minor
- 4/4
- 86 BPM
- i–bVII–bVI–bVII loop
- Easy
Learn Tearjerker in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – F – Eb – F
Tearjerker sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; F is F, A and C; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiFVIIEbVIFVII- GmG · Bb · D
- FF · A · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 86 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: Eb – F – Gm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFGm
Play next
Questions about Tearjerker
What chords are in Tearjerker?
The loop is Gm – F – Eb – F (i – bVII – bVI – bVII) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is Tearjerker in?
G minor, at about 86 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Tearjerker?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tearjerker 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.