Telephone Line Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Telephone Line in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: A – F#m – D – E
How it goes
Telephone Line sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; F#m is F#, A and C#; D is D, F# and A; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIF#mviDIVEV
- AA · C# · E
- F#mF# · A · C#
- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
95 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Marching giant
How it goes
Thick three-note chords on every beat, rocking between two shapes. Musicians call it lh triads (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Marching giantLeft-hand chords · RockLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pop stabsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 80 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 – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA

What chords are in Telephone Line?

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

What key is Telephone Line in?

A major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Telephone Line?

Marching giant: lh triads, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Telephone Line 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.