Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Up Where We Belong on piano
By Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
- D major
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- I–IV–V–IV loop
- 1982
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Up Where We Belong in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – A – G
How it goes
Up Where We Belong sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVAVGIV- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
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: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 72 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: G – Gm – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GGmD- GmG · Bb · D
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Questions about Up Where We Belong
What chords are in Up Where We Belong?
The loop is D – G – A – G (I – IV – V – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – Gm – D.
What key is Up Where We Belong in?
D major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Up Where We Belong?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Up Where We Belong 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.