Piano chords · Bossa beach

How to play Tears In Heaven on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Tears In Heaven in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: A – E – F#m – A
How it goes
Tears In Heaven sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIEVF#mviAI
- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- F#mF# · A · C#
58 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Pop seesaw
How it goes
Two low notes, long then short, then a step up on beat 3. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 294 songs of the library.
Pop seesawRoot–fifth bass · Bossa novaLeft handEasy
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.
Steady chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 68 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: Esus4 – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are Vsus – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
Esus4EA
- Esus4E · A · B

What chords are in Tears In Heaven?

The loop is A – E – F#m – A (I – V – vi – I) in A major, and the song ends on Esus4 – E – A.

What key is Tears In Heaven in?

A major, at about 68 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Tears In Heaven?

Pop seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Tears In Heaven 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.