Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play The Phoenix on piano
By Fall Out Boy
- E minor
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- Easy
Learn The Phoenix in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – C – C#m – C
The Phoenix sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; C is C, E and G; C#m is C#, E and G#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiCVIC#mviCVI- EmE · G · B
- CC · E · G
- C#mC# · E · G#
- 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: Wobbly chords
Two off-balance chords on the “ands”, then a firm landing on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 138 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: C – D – Em
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- DD · F# · A
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Questions about The Phoenix
What chords are in The Phoenix?
The loop is Em – C – C#m – C (i – bVI – vi – bVI) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is The Phoenix in?
E minor, at about 138 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Phoenix?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Phoenix 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.