Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Thunder Rolls on piano
Written by Pat Alger & Garth Brooks
- D minor
- 2/2
- 80 BPM
- 1989
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Thunder Rolls in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – Am – Dm – Bb
How it goes
The Thunder Rolls sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Am is A, C and E; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiAmvDmiBbVI- DmD · F · A
- AmA · C · E
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
How it goes
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm- CC · E · G
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Questions about The Thunder Rolls
What chords are in The Thunder Rolls?
The loop is Dm – Am – Dm – Bb (i – v – i – bVI) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.
What key is The Thunder Rolls in?
D minor, at about 80 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in The Thunder Rolls?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Thunder Rolls 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.