How to Actually Play Don't Stop Believin' on Piano (Journey Tutorial)
The Don't Stop Believin' piano intro is in E major over the chords E, B, C#m and A (I-V-vi-IV), played as eighth-note broken chords in the right hand, with a walking bass line whose chord landings are anticipated on the off-beat.
Key points
- The intro is in E major over E, B, C#m and A (I-V-vi-IV), and continues under the verse.
- The right hand plays eighth-note broken chords, upper notes then lower, keeping two Bs as anchors for the first three chords.
- Line two changes only the third bar: D# in the right hand over G# in the bass, implying G#m7.
- The bass line walks by scale steps to each new chord and lands on the off-beat (rhythmic anticipation), except the final E, which lands on the beat.
- Start with roots only, count aloud, and move your head to keep steady time.
What this lesson teaches
This lesson from Jason Zac at Nathaniel School of Music teaches the famous piano intro to Journey's Don't Stop Believin' the way it sounds on the record, in the original key of E major. It suits beginners who know a few chords and want to learn a real rock piano part. The same pattern continues under the verse, so learning the intro gives you more than half of the song.
The chord progression
The intro and most of the song use four chords:
- E major (I)
- B major (V)
- C# minor (vi)
- A major (IV)
That is the familiar I-V-vi-IV progression. The pianist does not play these as plain block chords. Each chord gets its own shape.
The right hand: broken chords
A block chord is struck all at once. Here the right hand plays broken chords: the upper notes first, then the lower note, in steady quavers (eighth notes). Count one and two and three and four and.
- E chord: this is really an E fifth (E5), not a full E major. Thumb on B, index finger on E, pinky on the B an octave above.
- B chord: lift the index finger off E and put your middle finger on F#. The two Bs stay where they are.
- C#m chord: bring the index finger back to E, but play C# in the bass. Together this gives a C# minor seventh colour.
- A chord: move the whole hand down a step. Pinky and thumb play A in octaves with C# in between: an A chord with the third and no fifth.
Line two
The second line is almost identical. The first two bars (E and B) are the same, but the third bar changes: the index finger plays D# (the seventh degree of E major) instead of E, and the bass plays G#, implying G# minor seventh. Then it returns to the usual A chord.
The left hand
Start with roots
Before the full bass line, hold just the root of each chord in the left hand: E, B, C#, A (and G# in line two). This is a perfectly healthy way to play the song on its own.
The real bass line
The original bass line goes even lower than the bass guitar on the record. Instead of jumping straight from one root to the next, it takes a little detour, walking by scale steps towards the target note of the next chord. For example, it climbs through F# and G# to approach B.
The timing is the tricky part. Almost every chord landing comes on the and just before the beat rather than on the beat. This is called rhythmic anticipation. Singing the bass line, in note names or swaras, in any comfortable octave, helps a lot. One short passage borrows the bass guitar's line; if that is too hard, simply hold G# instead. Let your right hand drift down as the bass moves low.
The ending
At the very end of the intro, just before the verse, the final E lands on the beat, not before it. This change pulls you into the verse instead of sounding like a copy of the intro.
How to practise
- Learn the right hand alone, slowly, counting the quavers aloud.
- Add the root notes, then replace them with the full bass line.
- Move your head to the beat. This is an accompaniment part, so steady time matters with a singer and band.
- If you sing, try singing the melody while playing once the part is solid.
- On a 61-key keyboard, set transpose to minus 12 to reach the deep low notes.
- Build gradually towards the original tempo.
Questions about this lesson
What key is Don't Stop Believin' in on piano?
The original recording is in E major, and this lesson teaches it in that key. The main chords are E, B, C#m and A.
What chords are in the Don't Stop Believin' intro?
The intro uses E, B, C# minor and A, a I-V-vi-IV progression. The E is played as an E5 and the C# minor sounds like C#m7 because of the E and B on top. In the second line the third chord becomes G#m7.
Why does the bass line feel tricky to play in time?
Most chord landings in the bass come on the and before the beat, a technique called rhythmic anticipation. Counting the eighth notes aloud and singing the bass line helps you lock it in.
Can I play the low bass notes on a 61-key keyboard?
Yes. Use the keyboard's transpose setting and lower it to minus 12, which shifts everything down an octave so you get the deep bass sound.
Practise it
- WoodshedKeep a practice record, set goals and work on songs with tools for looping, changing speed and changing key.
- Groove MetronomeWork with tempo, accents and polyrhythms instead of a single unchanging click.
- Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
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