Unchain My Heart Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Unchain My Heart in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Am – F7 – E7 – Am – Am
How it goes
Unchain My Heart sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: Am is A, C and E; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; E7 is E, G#, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiF7VI7E7V7AmiAmi
- AmA · C · E
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- E7E · G# · B · D
21 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Oom-pah
How it goes
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Oom-pahStride & boom-chick · StrideLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Gospel-clap chords
How it goes
Skips beat 1, then soulful chords that bounce off the “ands”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Gospel-clap chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 140 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm
- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D

What chords are in Unchain My Heart?

The loop is Am – F7 – E7 – Am – Am (i – VI7 – V7 – i – VI7) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.

What key is Unchain My Heart in?

A minor, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Unchain My Heart?

Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Unchain My Heart easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Unchain My Heart?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.