Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Tornado on piano
Written by Natalie Hemby & Delta Maid
- E minor
- 4/4
- 95 BPM
- bVII–i–bVII–i loop
- 2012
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Tornado in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – Em – D – Em
How it goes
Tornado sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DVIIEmiDVIIEmi- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 95 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
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Questions about Tornado
What chords are in Tornado?
The loop is D – Em – D – Em (bVII – i – bVII – i) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Tornado in?
E minor, at about 95 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Tornado?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tornado 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.