How to Play Shallow on Piano
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Shallow is a beginner-intermediate piano piece by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper that most students can learn in 3-4 weeks.
Practice tips
The verse uses a fingerpicked-guitar style broken chord in G-D/F#-Em-C — keep the pattern gentle and country-inflected with a slight emphasis on the bass note.
The 'I'm off the deep end' chorus explodes with full chords — practice the sudden dynamic jump from the quiet verse, dropping your arms into the keys with full weight.
The Am-D-G-C power progression in the chorus needs a driving rhythm — play the chords slightly ahead of the beat to create urgency and momentum.
About this piece
The Oscar-winning duet from A Star Is Born features a country-influenced verse that builds into a powerful rock chorus. The piano arrangement effectively captures both the intimate opening and the explosive climax.
Common mistake
Not building enough intensity into the 'tell me something' bridge section — it should gradually rise in volume and tension to set up the chorus explosion.
How long to learn
Not sure Shallow matches your level? Take the free 2-minute piano level quiz — or settle it directly: upload the sheet music and play it back at half speed to see how it feels under your hands.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is Shallow to play on piano?
Shallow is rated Beginner-Intermediate. The Oscar-winning duet from A Star Is Born features a country-influenced verse that builds into a powerful rock chorus.
How long does it take to learn Shallow?
For a beginner, expect 3-4 weeks. An intermediate player can learn it in 1 week.
What is the BPM of Shallow?
Shallow is typically played at 96 BPM, in G major.
What key is Shallow in?
Shallow is in G major, typically performed at around 96 BPM.
What's the most common mistake when learning Shallow?
Not building enough intensity into the 'tell me something' bridge section — it should gradually rise in volume and tension to set up the chorus explosion.
Where to find the sheet music
- Free scores on IMSLP (Petrucci Music Library)
- Community sheet music on MuseScore
- Wikipedia: Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Free public-domain editions of works like Beethoven, Chopin, and Debussy are on IMSLP. For contemporary works, MuseScore has community arrangements.
Got the PDF? Upload it to Piano Nova — a photo of a printed page works too — and play Shallow straight from that edition, at your own tempo.
Ready to practice Shallow?
Upload your sheet music and start learning — at your tempo, hands separately, looping the hard parts.
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