Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Violet Hill on piano
By Coldplay
- E major
- 4/4
- 77 BPM
- 2008
- Easy
Learn Violet Hill in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – G#m – E – C#m
Violet Hill sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; G#m is G#, B and D#; E is E, G# and B; C#m is C#, E and G#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIVG#miiiEIC#mvi- AA · C# · E
- G#mG# · B · D#
- EE · G# · B
- C#mC# · E · G#
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), 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 77 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: A – B – E
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- BB · D# · F#
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Questions about Violet Hill
What chords are in Violet Hill?
The loop is A – G#m – E – C#m (IV – iii – I – vi) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Violet Hill in?
E major, at about 77 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Violet Hill?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Violet Hill 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.