Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play The Brain on piano
Written by Mel Brooks
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 125 BPM
- 2007
- Easy
Learn The Brain in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – Bdim – Cm – Bdim
The Brain sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Bdim is B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmviBdimbvi°CmviBdimbvi°- CmC · Eb · G
- BdimB · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
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 125 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
Play next
Questions about The Brain
What chords are in The Brain?
The loop is Cm – Bdim – Cm – Bdim (vi – bvio – vi – bvio) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is The Brain in?
Eb major, at about 125 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Brain?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Brain 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.