Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Words: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Neil Young
- A minor
- 6/8
- 80 BPM
- 1971
- Medium
Words written out as piano music: the i – VI – VII – v loop in A minor for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pony-trot pulse (root bass · 1 · 1& · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4) and the right hand sprint-and-stop chords.
Words chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in A minor. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Am | i | A C E |
| 2 | F | VI | F A C |
| 3 | G | VII | G B D |
| 4 | Em | v | E G B |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: pony-trot pulse (root bass · 1 · 1& · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4) in the left hand and sprint-and-stop chords in the right, over the Am – F – G – Em chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Words
Does the sheet music for Words have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Words?
The loop is Am – F – G – Em (i – VI – VII – v) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Words in?
A minor, at about 80 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in Words?
Pony-trot pulse: root bass · 1 · 1& · 2 · 2& · 3& · 4, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Words easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Words?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro 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.