Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Wish You Were Here on piano
Written by Irving Burgie
- D major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- V7–I–IV–V7 loop
- 1958
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Wish You Were Here in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A7 – D – G – A7
How it goes
Wish You Were Here sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7V7DIGIVA7V7- A7A · C# · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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 100 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: G – A7 – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GA7D
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Questions about Wish You Were Here
What chords are in Wish You Were Here?
The loop is A7 – D – G – A7 (V7 – I – IV – V7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A7 – D.
What key is Wish You Were Here in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Wish You Were Here?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Wish You Were Here 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.