Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Vertigo on piano
- D major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 2018
- Easy
Learn Vertigo in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – E7 – G – E7
Vertigo sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; E7 is E, G#, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVE7II7GIVE7II7- GG · B · D
- E7E · G# · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
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.
- 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 90 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- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Vertigo
What chords are in Vertigo?
The loop is G – E7 – G – E7 (IV – II7 – IV – II7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Vertigo in?
D major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Vertigo?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Vertigo 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.