Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play The Letter on piano
By Joe Cocker
- B minor
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1967
- Easy
Learn The Letter in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm7 – G7 – Bm7 – E
The Letter sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm7 is B, D, F# and A; G7 is G, B, D and F; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bm7i7G7VI7Bm7i7EIV- Bm7B · D · F# · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 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: G – A – Bm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- BmB · D · F#
Play next
Questions about The Letter
What chords are in The Letter?
The loop is Bm7 – G7 – Bm7 – E (i7 – VI7 – i7 – IV) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is The Letter in?
B minor, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Letter?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Letter 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 The Letter?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.