Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Waterfalls on piano
By TLC
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–V–bVII–IV loop
- 1994
- Easy
Learn Waterfalls in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb – Db – Ab
Waterfalls sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Db is Db, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBbVDbbVIIAbIV- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb
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Questions about Waterfalls
What chords are in Waterfalls?
The loop is Eb – Bb – Db – Ab (I – V – bVII – IV) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Waterfalls in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Waterfalls?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Waterfalls 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.