Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Windfall on piano
By Son Volt
- A major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- 1995
- Easy
Learn Windfall in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – E – C#m – D
Windfall sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B; C#m 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.
AIEVC#miiiDIV- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- C#mC# · E · G#
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Pop seesaw
Two low notes, long then short, then a step up on beat 3. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 294 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Late-knock chords
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock 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: A – E – A
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AEA
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Questions about Windfall
What chords are in Windfall?
The loop is A – E – C#m – D (I – V – iii – IV) in A major, and the song ends on A – E – A.
What key is Windfall in?
A major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Windfall?
Pop seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Windfall 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.