Piano Cover of "This is a Move"

If you’re looking for This is a Move piano chords that work with a real church band, this page is for you. The song comes from Tasha Cobbs Leonard, it sits in A♭ major at 94 BPM, and the piano part is all about restraint. In the video above I keep it simple on purpose, and here’s why.

Expectation, not excitement

This is a song of faith and expectation. It’s not a party song, and it’s not a slow prayer either. At 94 BPM it has a steady walking pulse, and it builds as the leader keeps declaring. The voice carries the message. The band’s job is to lift underneath, gradually, so that when the song peaks, the room feels it was always heading there.

So start smaller than you think. Most keys players come in too full on this one and have nowhere left to go by the end.

Setting up in A♭

A♭ major has four flats: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F and G. It’s a warm key, great for a female lead, and the shapes are comfortable. Your main chords in piano chord terms and numbers:

• 1 = A♭ (A♭, C, E♭)
• 2m = B♭m (B♭, D♭, F)
• 4 = D♭ (D♭, F, A♭)
• 5 = E♭ (E♭, G, B♭)
• 6m = Fm (F, A♭, C)

For sound, layer a soft pad with your piano, and let the pad lead in the quieter parts. As the song grows, bring the piano forward.

How the This is a Move piano chords move

We haven’t put up a chart for this song yet, so I won’t write out a progression I can’t vouch for. What I can tell you is that it’s built on the familiar 1, 4, 5 and 6m family in A♭. The changes are steady and predictable, which is exactly what you want when the leader is going to repeat a section many times.

Use the video above to map it. Listen for the bass note on each change and match it to the chords above. Listen especially for where the song climbs, because a modern worship song like this usually builds energy by repeating a section and pushing harder each time, not by adding new chords.

Sus chords and space

• Right hand: sus2 voicings on the 1 and the 4. A♭sus2 is A♭, B♭, E♭. D♭sus2 is D♭, E♭, A♭. They sound open and modern, and they stay out of the singer’s way.
• Left hand: long whole notes in the quiet sections. When the band builds, move to steady eighth notes on the root.
• Building dynamics: add the third back into your sus chords as the song grows. Going from A♭sus2 to a full A♭ triad is a tiny change, but it makes the chord feel more settled and more confident.
• One gospel move: when the bass is heading from the 4 up to the 5, walk the left hand through the passing note: D♭, D natural, E♭. That chromatic step gives the climb a push the room will feel.

Moving it for your leader

A♭ suits a lot of female voices, but a male leader will often want it in E♭ or F. Don’t learn a new song. Keep your numbers and let the letters follow. If you need the letters quickly, Gig Mode will show you the chords in the new key, and the Circle of Fifths is a handy way to see which keys are close.

A 15-minute practice session

1. 4 minutes: play A♭sus2, D♭sus2, E♭ and Fm slowly. Get comfortable with the sus2 shapes.
2. 4 minutes: play along with the video using only left-hand whole notes.
3. 4 minutes: add the right hand, and practise growing from sus2 to full triads as the video builds.
4. 3 minutes: drill the D♭, D, E♭ walk-up in the left hand at 94 BPM.

FAQ

What key is This is a Move in?

The version we play is in A♭ major at 94 BPM.

Is This is a Move hard on piano?

The chords are simple. The challenge is dynamics: starting small and building patiently with the band.

For a South African song in the same key, try our chart for Ndenzel’ Uncedo.