Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Way on piano
By Pat Barrett
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 78 BPM
- 2018
- Easy
Learn The Way in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Ebsus4 – Gm – Eb
The Way sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Ebsus4 is Eb, Ab and Bb; Gm is G, Bb and D; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEbsus4IVsus4GmviEbIV- BbBb · D · F
- Ebsus4Eb · Ab · Bb
- GmG · Bb · D
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Knock-knock footsteps
Step, then a quick knock-knock, a pause, and one last step. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 471 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 78 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: Bb – Eb – Bb
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbEbBb
Play next
Questions about The Way
What chords are in The Way?
The loop is Bb – Ebsus4 – Gm – Eb (I – IVsus – vi – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – Eb – Bb.
What key is The Way in?
Bb major, at about 78 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Way?
Knock-knock footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Way 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.