How to Play "Lose Control" by Teddy Swims on Piano

If you’ve been captivated by Teddy Swims’ soulful hit “Lose Control,” you’re not alone. The song’s rich chord progression and emotional rhythm make it a perfect choice for piano players looking to grow their skills. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to play Lose Control on piano using simplified chords, rhythm tips, and left-hand techniques to bring the song to life—even if you’re a beginner.

🎹 Free Worksheet Included
Be sure to download the free worksheet we’ve created for this lesson—it includes the chords, inversions, and rhythm patterns to help you follow along more easily.

Download “Lose Control” Worksheet.

Why “Lose Control” Is Great for Piano Practice

This song is a fantastic way to work on:

Chord transitions
Rhythmic counting (in 12/8 time)
Hand coordination
Jazz and soul chord textures

To make it more accessible, we’ve arranged the song in the key of E minor, and we’ve simplified some of the jazzier voicings without losing the emotional impact of the original.

The Chords You’ll Need

There are five main chords in the song—or as we like to say, “four and a half.” Here’s a breakdown of each chord and how to play them:

🎵 Basic Chords:

E minor (Em): E – G – B

G major (G): G – B – D

C major (C): C – E – G

B suspended (Bsus): B – E – F♯

B major (B): B – D♯ – F♯ (replaces Bsus briefly before returning to Em)

Using Inversions for a Jazzy Sound

To give this arrangement a more soulful feel (and to make transitions smoother), we’re using chord inversions. Here’s how:

E minor (2nd inversion): B – E – G
Move the top B down to the thumb position.

G major (2nd inversion): D – G – B
Again, move the top B down to the bottom.

C major 7 (Cmaj7): Left hand plays C, right hand plays B – E – G
This adds a jazzy flavor by replacing the root C in the chord with a B.

Bsus to B major:
Bsus: B – E – F♯

B major: B – D♯ – F♯
Transition by moving the E down to D♯.

Full Chord Progression

Here’s the complete loop used throughout the song:

Em (2nd inversion) → G (2nd inversion) → Cmaj7 → Bsus → B major → back to Em

This cycle repeats in both the verse and chorus, but the feel and energy change based on rhythm and dynamics.

Counting the Rhythm (12/8 Time)

The song is in 12/8 time, which means each measure has 12 eighth-note beats. For simplicity, count it in two groups of 6:

Em: 1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6
G: 1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6
Cmaj7: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Bsus → B major:
- Bsus: 1 2 3 4 5 6
- Switch to B major: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Left Hand Patterns & Dynamics

🎹 Basic Left Hand Pattern

At first, play just the root note of each chord on the first beat of each measure. For example:

Em: Left hand plays E on beat 1
G: Left hand plays G on beat 1
C: Left hand plays C on beat 1
Bsus/B: Left hand plays B on each chord change

🎹 Chorus Variation: Octaves & Energy Boost

To separate the chorus from the verse and add more drive:

Left Hand Octaves: Play full octaves (e.g., low E and high E) for a fuller sound
Rhythm Shift: Double your rhythm by playing on beat 1 of each 6-beat grouping instead of every 12 (i.e., twice per chord)

🎹 Optional: Root Note Experiments

To create an even bigger, more epic sound, try varying the root notes by dropping to lower octaves (e.g., low E → low C → low B). This helps distinguish different parts of the song and adds structure.

Bringing It All Together

Once you’re comfortable with the chords, rhythm, and left-hand patterns, try looping the full progression:

Em → G → Cmaj7 → Bsus → B → Em

Start slow and build up as you gain confidence. Don’t be afraid to experiment with dynamics, rhythm, and chord voicings to make the song your own.

If you enjoyed learning how to play “Lose Control” on piano, check out more of our easy piano songs. As always, have fun with it—this song is meant to be felt, not just played.