Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Universal Soldier on piano
By Buffy Sainte-Marie
- B major
- 4/4
- 105 BPM
- IV–V–I–vi loop
- 1963
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Universal Soldier in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – F# – B – G#m
How it goes
The Universal Soldier sits in B major: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; F# is F#, A# and C#; B is B, D# and F#; G#m is G#, B and D#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIVF#VBIG#mvi- EE · G# · B
- F#F# · A# · C#
- BB · D# · F#
- G#mG# · B · D#
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleigh bells
How it goes
A high note and two quick chords in a short bar, jingling along. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 105 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: E – F# – B
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EF#B
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Questions about The Universal Soldier
What chords are in The Universal Soldier?
The loop is E – F# – B – G#m (IV – V – I – vi) in B major, and the song ends on E – F# – B.
What key is The Universal Soldier in?
B major, at about 105 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Universal Soldier?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Universal Soldier 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.