Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
The Prayer: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Josh Groban
- E major
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- I–IV–Vsus–V loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
The Prayer written out as piano music: the I – IV – Vsus – V loop in E major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays river roll (open arpeggio 1-5-8-9-10), and the right hand sings the tune.
The Prayer chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in E major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | I | E G# B |
| 2 | A | IV | A C# E |
| 3 | Bsus4 | Vsus4 | B E F# |
| 4 | B | V | B D# F# |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: river roll (open arpeggio 1-5-8-9-10) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the E – A – Bsus4 – B chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about The Prayer
Does the sheet music for The Prayer have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in The Prayer?
The loop is E – A – Bsus4 – B (I – IV – Vsus – V) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is The Prayer in?
E major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Prayer?
River roll: open arpeggio 1-5-8-9-10, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Prayer easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.