Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Testify on piano
Written by Nathaniel Rinehart & William Rinehart
- Bb minor
- 4/4
- 124 BPM
- 2016
- Easy
Learn Testify in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Db – Db – Ebm7 – Db
Testify sits in Bb minor: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Db is Db, F and Ab; Ebm7 is Eb, Gb, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbIIIDbIIIEbm7iv7DbIII- DbDb · F · Ab
- Ebm7Eb · Gb · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleep-in chords
Quiet for half the bar, then three chords wake up near the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 124 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: F – Eb – Bb
The last chords are V – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FEbBb- FF · A · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
Play next
Questions about Testify
What chords are in Testify?
The loop is Db – Db – Ebm7 – Db (III – iv7 – III – iv7) in Bb minor, and the song ends on F – Eb – Bb.
What key is Testify in?
Bb minor, at about 124 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Testify?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Testify 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Testify?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.