Piano chords · Classical salon
How to play The Happening on piano
Artist unknown
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–IV–V7–I loop
- Easy
Learn The Happening in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – D7 – G
The Happening sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVD7V7GI- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Bouncing Alberti
Low, high, middle, high on each beat: a bouncy, cheerful bass. Musicians call it alberti bass 1-8-5-8 (alberti bass), an easy pattern heard in 172 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: C – D – G
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about The Happening
What chords are in The Happening?
The loop is G – C – D7 – G (I – IV – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is The Happening in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Happening?
Bouncing Alberti: alberti bass 1-8-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Happening 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.