Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play The Living Years on piano
By Rhydian
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 96 BPM
- 1988
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Living Years in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bbm – Db – Eb – Db
How it goes
The Living Years sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Db is Db, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbmiiDbIVEbVDbIV- BbmBb · Db · F
- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Rock hop
How it goes
Low, high, a quick double, then high again: a hopping rock bass. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 809 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 96 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: Db – Eb – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about The Living Years
What chords are in The Living Years?
The loop is Bbm – Db – Eb – Db (ii – IV – V – IV) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is The Living Years in?
Ab major, at about 96 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Living Years?
Rock hop: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Living Years 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.