Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from The Grinch) on piano

By Tyler, The Creator

Tuning the piano…

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Learn You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from The Grinch) in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Am – F – E – Am
How it goes
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from The Grinch) sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; F is F, A and C; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiFVIEVAmi
- AmA · C · E
- FF · A · C
- EE · G# · B
2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Walking rootsRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Pumping chordsPumping 8ths · RockRight handMedium
4
Both hands at 90 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm
- GG · B · D

What chords are in You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from The Grinch)?

The loop is Am – F – E – Am (i – bVI – V – i) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.

What key is You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from The Grinch) in?

A minor, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from The Grinch)?

Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (from The Grinch) 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.

Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.