Nathaniel School of Music

Teri Deewani Piano Tutorial: How to Accompany Singers

Teri Deewani is played with the chords of G major centred on E minor, using a gentle six-beat groove, with the pre-chorus and second verse changing chord every three beats and the chorus built mainly on E minor and D major.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Beginner · 16 min

Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube.

Key points

This lesson shows how to play and accompany Teri Deewani by Kailash Kher on the piano. Jason Zac walks through the chords of every section and gives you rhythm patterns to support yourself or another singer. It suits players who know their basic major and minor chords and want to start accompanying songs.

The available chords

Before learning any song, work out which chords are available. Teri Deewani takes its chords from the G major scale, which has one sharp, F#. That gives you three major and three minor chords:

Most sections start on E minor, the relative minor of G major, so the song really sits in E minor while borrowing the whole G major family of chords.

The groove

The song can be counted in six, but you should not lean on a heavy six feel. Take an E minor chord and let the left hand count in groups of three while the right hand plays a lighter pattern on top, landing on beat one and on the off-beat after two.

If that rhythm is too hard at first, simplify it: play the left hand on beat one and the right hand on beat three for each chord. You can also just hold the chords, but a steady rhythm keeps the accompaniment alive. The same groove works for almost the whole song.

Verse one

The verse is built around E minor, with chords changing roughly every six beats. There is a short gap with no vocals that sounds like a guitar plucking figure, then the harmony stays on E minor and moves through D major and C major before repeating. Practise slowly while counting to six so you feel where each change lands.

Pre-chorus

Here the chords change much faster, every three beats instead of six:

  1. E minor
  2. D major
  3. C major
  4. B minor
  5. A minor
  6. G major
  7. D major with F# in the bass (D/F#)
  8. E minor

For D/F#, play the D major chord (D F# A) but put F# in the bass instead of D. This keeps the bass line falling smoothly back to E.

Chorus and flute solo

The chorus is the easiest part: it moves mainly between E minor and D major. If you learn only one section, start here. The flute solo is supported by the same two chords, E minor and D major.

Verse two (and verse three)

Verse two, the main hook, changes every three beats: E minor, B minor, C major, D major, repeated. When you finish and head back to the verse, the last chord changes so it reads E minor, B minor, C major, E minor. Verse three uses essentially the same chords, played in a softer, more mellow way.

Because the changes are quick, use chord inversions so your hands move as little as possible. You can keep the usual groove, or try a more laid-back left-hand variation to change the texture.

The vocal intro

The song opens with an ambient vocal intro full of trills. To support it, keep a D major chord (for example D and F#) held on top while the bass follows changing root notes underneath. A pad sound instead of piano works beautifully. With a strong singer, you can also stay silent and come in when the verse starts.

How to practise

Questions about this lesson

What key is Teri Deewani in on piano?

It uses the chords of G major but most sections start on E minor, the relative minor, so it effectively sits in E minor.

What are the chords of the Teri Deewani pre-chorus?

E minor, D major, C major, B minor, A minor, G major, D/F# and back to E minor, with each chord lasting three beats.

What does D/F# mean?

It means you play a D major chord (D F# A) but with F# as the lowest note in the bass instead of D.

How do I keep up with the fast chord changes?

Use chord inversions so your hand moves only short distances between chords, and practise each section on its own before joining them.

Practise it

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