Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Hustle on piano
By Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony
- F major
- 4/4
- 116 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Hustle in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – Bb – F – Gm
How it goes
The Hustle sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiBbIVFIGmii- GmG · Bb · D
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
How it goes
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Shy chords
How it goes
Waits out beat 1, then a chord on 2 and a little double on 3. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 116 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: Gm – Bb – F
How it goes
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmBbF
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Questions about The Hustle
What chords are in The Hustle?
The loop is Gm – Bb – F – Gm (ii – IV – I – ii) in F major, and the song ends on Gm – Bb – F.
What key is The Hustle in?
F major, at about 116 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Hustle?
Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Hustle 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.