Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play West Coast on piano
Written by Elizabeth Grant & Rick Nowels
- F# minor
- 4/4
- 95 BPM
- 2014
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn West Coast in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – D – F#m – C#m
How it goes
West Coast sits in F# minor: F# is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; D is D, F# and A; F#m is F#, A and C#; C#m is C#, E and G#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmivDVIF#miC#mv- BmB · D · F#
- DD · F# · A
- F#mF# · A · C#
- C#mC# · E · G#
- 2
Left hand: Push and land
How it goes
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 95 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: D – E – F#m
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEF#m- EE · G# · B
Play next
Questions about West Coast
What chords are in West Coast?
The loop is Bm – D – F#m – C#m (iv – bVI – i – v) in F# minor, and the song ends on D – E – F#m.
What key is West Coast in?
F# minor, at about 95 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in West Coast?
Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is West Coast 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.