Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Wicked Little Town on piano
Written by Stephen Trask
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1999
- Easy
Learn Wicked Little Town in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – C#m – C – D
Wicked Little Town sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; C#m is C#, E and G#; C is C, E and G; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmviC#m#ivCIVDV- EmE · G · B
- C#mC# · E · G#
- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bossa chords
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: soft Brazilian chords. 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: C – Cm – G
The last chords are IV – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CCmG- CmC · Eb · G
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Wicked Little Town
What chords are in Wicked Little Town?
The loop is Em – C#m – C – D (vi – #iv – IV – V) in G major, and the song ends on C – Cm – G.
What key is Wicked Little Town in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Wicked Little Town?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Wicked Little Town 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.