Wake Me Up! Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Wake Me Up! in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bm – G – D – A
How it goes
Wake Me Up! sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; G is G, B 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.
BmiGVIDIIIAVII
- BmB · D · F#
- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
54 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Giant steps
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Giant stepsLeft-hand chords · RockLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Offbeat skankOffbeat chords · Blues and boogie-woogieRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 120 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 – A – Bm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm

What chords are in Wake Me Up!?

The loop is Bm – G – D – A (i – bVI – bIII – bVII) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.

What key is Wake Me Up! in?

B minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Wake Me Up!?

Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Wake Me Up! 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.