Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Whip It on piano
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- 2015
- Medium
Learn Whip It in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb – Bb – Gm – Fsus4 – Fsus4
Whip It sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Gm is G, Bb and D; Fsus4 is F, Bb and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIVBbIBbIGmviFsus4Vsus4Fsus4Vsus4- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- GmG · Bb · D
- Fsus4F · Bb · C
- 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: Double-skip chords
Steady chords with two quick skips, one mid-bar and one at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- FF · A · C
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Questions about Whip It
What chords are in Whip It?
The loop is Eb – Bb – Bb – Gm – Fsus4 – Fsus4 (IV – I – vi – Vsus4 – IV – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Whip It in?
Bb major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Whip It?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Whip It easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 6 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Whip It?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.