Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play The Night Was Alive on piano
Written by Maury Yeston
- C major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- I–iii–IV–I loop
- 1997
- Easy
Learn The Night Was Alive in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Em – F – C
The Night Was Alive sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Em is E, G and B; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIEmiiiFIVCI- CC · E · G
- EmE · G · B
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
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Questions about The Night Was Alive
What chords are in The Night Was Alive?
The loop is C – Em – F – C (I – iii – IV – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is The Night Was Alive in?
C major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Night Was Alive?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Night Was Alive 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.