Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Tie Your Mother Down on piano
Written by Brian May
- A major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 1976
- Easy
Learn Tie Your Mother Down in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – C – G
Tie Your Mother Down sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GbVIIDIVCbIIIGbVII- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Late-knock chords
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Tie Your Mother Down
What chords are in Tie Your Mother Down?
The loop is G – D – C – G (bVII – IV – bIII – bVII) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Tie Your Mother Down in?
A major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Tie Your Mother Down?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tie Your Mother Down 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.