Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play What Is Love on piano
Written by Janelle Monae Robinson, Nathaniel Irvin III & others
- D minor
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 2014
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn What Is Love in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – Bb – F
How it goes
What Is Love sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CVIIFIIIBbVIFIII- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Eager heartbeat
How it goes
Jumps in early on the “and” before beat 3, like it can’t wait. Musicians call it root bass · pop push 1 · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 403 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
How it goes
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 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm- DmD · F · A
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Questions about What Is Love
What chords are in What Is Love?
The loop is C – F – Bb – F (bVII – bIII – bVI – bIII) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.
What key is What Is Love in?
D minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in What Is Love?
Eager heartbeat: root bass · pop push 1 · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is What Is Love 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.