Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Us on piano
By James Bay
- C major
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- vi–I–IV–vi loop
- 2018
- Easy
Learn Us in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – C – F – Am
Us sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmviCIFIVAmvi- AmA · C · E
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Sleepy heartbeat
One long note, then a soft double tap in the second half. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 3& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 314 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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: C – F – C
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC
Play next
Questions about Us
What chords are in Us?
The loop is Am – C – F – Am (vi – I – IV – vi) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is Us in?
C major, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Us?
Sleepy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 3&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Us 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.