Faded

Faded, a 2015 anthem by Norwegian producer Alan Walker, is a wonderful example of classic piano styles blended seamlessly with electronic dance music. The intro consists of four simple chords, D# minor, B Major, F# Major and C# Major, also known as the four chords of pop, arpeggiated in the left hand with a diatonic melody in the right hand. This harmonic pattern continues, but as the arrangement develops, the piano part fades (no pun intended) and is replaced with bright punchy synths sitting behind the beat like New Years fireworks the morning after. We did our best to capture the energy of the track in this HDpiano arrangement.

Though not credited on the commercial release, the vocals were provided by Iselin Solheim, a Norwegian singer also heard on Alan Walker’s “Sing Me To Sleep.” Together, these two artists created an infectious track that topped the charts, reaching number 1 in more than 10 countries, with billions of streams on YouTube and Spotify.

Fun fact: Because this song only uses four chords from the key of F# Major, it is entirely diatonic, meaning it uses only the 7 notes of the F# Major Scale. As you’re learning this one, we recommend checking out our Key Signature Essentials package for F# Major to deepen your understanding of the harmonic context of the song. This also means the song is fairly beginner friendly, and if the crazy synths become too much, you can always simplify the rhythms while keeping the chord progression moving. Enjoy!