Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
The Greatest Thing: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Mark Pendergrass
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 86 BPM
- 1977
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The Greatest Thing written out as piano music: the I – vi – ii – Vsus loop in Eb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)), and the right hand sings the tune.
The Greatest Thing chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Eb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eb | I | Eb G Bb |
| 2 | Cm | vi | C Eb G |
| 3 | Fm | ii | F Ab C |
| 4 | Bbsus4 | Vsus4 | Bb Eb F |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Eb – Cm – Fm – Bbsus4 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
Questions about The Greatest Thing
Does the sheet music for The Greatest Thing have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in The Greatest Thing?
The loop is Eb – Cm – Fm – Bbsus4 (I – vi – ii – Vsus) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is The Greatest Thing in?
Eb major, at about 86 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Greatest Thing?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Greatest Thing 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.