Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Payback on piano
Written by James Brown, Fred Wesley & others
- C major
- 4/4
- 92 BPM
- 1973
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Payback in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – C – D – Am
How it goes
The Payback sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; C is C, E and G; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmviCIDIIAmvi- AmA · C · E
- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Hop-skip heartbeat
How it goes
Three steps, then a quick hop that skips right over beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 250 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swing push
How it goes
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about The Payback
What chords are in The Payback?
The loop is Am – C – D – Am (vi – I – II – vi) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is The Payback in?
C major, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Payback?
Hop-skip heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Payback 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.