Piano chords · Rock drive
The River: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Garth Brooks
- D major
- 4/4
- 76 BPM
- IV–I–IV–I loop
- 1991
- Medium
The River written out as piano music: the IV – I – IV – I loop in D major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays power fifths (lh power fifths), and the right hand sings the tune.
The River chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in D 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 | G | IV | G B D |
| 2 | D | I | D F# A |
| 3 | G | IV | G B D |
| 4 | D | I | D F# A |
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: power fifths (lh power fifths) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the G – D – G – D 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.
Play next
More by Garth Brooks
Questions about The River
Does the sheet music for The River 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 River?
The loop is G – D – G – D (IV – I – IV – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is The River in?
D major, at about 76 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The River?
Power fifths: lh power fifths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The River 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.