Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Unsteady on piano
By X Ambassadors
- D major
- 2/2
- 116 BPM
- vi–IVsus–I–V loop
- 2014
- Easy
Learn Unsteady in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – Gsus4 – D – A
Unsteady sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; Gsus4 is G, C and D; D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmviGsus4IVsus4DIAV- BmB · D · F#
- Gsus4G · C · D
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Dancing heartbeat
Notes dance around the beats, pushing ahead on the “ands”. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 245 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Heartbeat chords
Long, short, long: chords on the pop heartbeat, then a rest. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 116 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about Unsteady
What chords are in Unsteady?
The loop is Bm – Gsus4 – D – A (vi – IVsus – I – V) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Unsteady in?
D major, at about 116 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Unsteady?
Dancing heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Unsteady 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.