Pieces › Accompanying real hits

No Woman, No Cry

Bob Marley: the reggae offbeat

The chorus cycles through C – G/B – A minor – F, then C – F – C – G. “G/B” is a G chord with B in the bass: the bass steps down C, B, A.

In reggae, the right hand never plays on the beat: it “answers” just after, on 2 and 4, with very short chords. That’s the skank.

The song: Bob Marley & The Wailers, 1974 (live version 1975) · C major · ≈ 76 BPM

Tips

• Short, crisp chords: let go of the keys right away.
• Let the bass ring on 1: the right hand stays silent.

The skank

A short chord on 2 and on 4. The computer plays the bass.

Bass and skank

Left hand on beats 1 and 3 (C, B, A, F…), right hand just after.