So, you wanna play “Aaron Burr, Sir” on piano, huh?
Let me tell you, it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. I figured, “Catchy tune, shouldn’t be too rough.” Man, was I off the mark. That piece has got more twists and turns than a cheap garden hose.
First off, I actually had to hunt down the music.
You’d think with Hamilton being as big as it is, finding decent sheet music would be a piece of cake. Nope. I spent a good while clicking around, and a lot of what I found looked like someone tried to write it down from memory while riding a rollercoaster. Finally found a version that seemed okay, though.
Then came the listening. And I mean, a LOT of listening.
I must’ve played that track on repeat until my family threatened to hide my headphones. Just trying to get the feel of it, you know? Especially Burr’s parts. That dude’s rhythm is tricky, it’s not just straightforward plunking notes. It’s got that spoken-word kind of flow, and getting that onto piano keys is a whole other ball game.
Breaking It Down – This is Where the Real Work Started
Alright, so I decided to get the right hand sorted out first. The melody. Hamilton’s bits are all punchy and eager, then Burr comes in all smooth and kinda sneaky. Trying to get that character into the notes, not just hitting the right ones, took some serious effort.
- That “Pardon me, are you Aaron Burr, sir?” bit: Sounds easy, right? But getting the timing just so, with how the chords underneath are supposed to land? My fingers were having a fight with my brain.
- Burr’s whole “Talk less, smile more” section: This became my personal challenge. The chords are actually pretty cool, but playing them smoothly while the melody does its thing on top? Yeah, that took a few cups of coffee and a lot of patient repetition.
- The quicker parts, like “I’m a trust fund baby, you can trust me!”: My fingers felt like they were made of sausages. I had to slow it right down, like, embarrassingly slow. Then bit by bit, tried to speed it up. Felt like I was learning to tie my shoes all over again.
And then, tackling the left hand. Ugh.
Chords, bass lines, trying to make it all fit without sounding like I was just mashing the keys. My left hand, I swear, sometimes decides it wants to play a completely different song. Getting those two hands to cooperate was a real test of my patience.
The Daily Grind
I made myself sit down at the piano every day. Sometimes just for 15-20 minutes. Some days were great, I’d nail a tricky bit and feel like a rockstar. Other days? I felt like I was getting nowhere, just stuck on the same few bars, wanting to just close the lid and walk away.
There’s this one spot where Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan all jump in. Trying to make that sound like distinct voices, or at least give that impression, while keeping the main rhythm going – that was a head-scratcher. Lots of super-slow practice, trying to hear how it all fit together.
Little Wins Kept Me From Quitting.
Like when I finally got the opening chords to sound kinda mysterious, not just like I was dropping bricks on the keys. Or when I could play Burr’s main theme and it actually grooved a little. Those small breakthroughs, they’re what keep you going when you feel like you’re hitting a wall.
So, Where Am I With It Now?
After all that fuss? I can play it. Not like a concert pianist, mind you. I’m not about to go on tour. There are still bits where if I lose focus, my fingers go on strike. But it’s definitely “Aaron Burr, Sir.” I can play it through, and folks recognize it, which is pretty cool.
It’s a decent little piece to pull out if you know some Hamilton fans. The biggest thing for me was just sticking with it. Seeing it through. So if you’re thinking about giving it a shot, go for it. But pack some extra patience in your piano bench. You’re gonna need it.
