Near Light — Ólafur Arnalds: piano chords
The full chord chart for Near Light by Ólafur Arnalds, bar by bar in the original key — and a free player that runs the chords in time with the record while you play.
The chords in Near Light
Near Light by Ólafur Arnalds sits in D major at a upbeat 118 BPM and moves through 7 chords. It’s a friendly first play-along: the changes come at an easy pace, so you can watch each chord land before the next one arrives.
Full chord chart, bar by bar
| Ostinato: Bm | F#m | D | G | E | A |
| Pads Join: Bm | D | A | G | ||
| Strings Enter: Bm | G | A | D | ||
| Swell: G | A | D | |||
| Receding: D | G | A | F#m | ||
| Afterglow: G | D |
Each cell is one bar. The free player scrolls this chart in sync with the recording and listens to your playing as you go.
Song structure
- 0:01Ostinato
- 0:41Pads Join
- 1:12Strings Enter
- 1:38Swell
- 2:27Receding
- 3:04Afterglow
Learn the chords first
If any of these shapes are new, the free chord trainer teaches every chord in D major — from plain triads to inversions — with real-song exercises. Then come back and play the record.
Quick answers
Is Near Light by Ólafur Arnalds hard to play on piano?
Near Light is a beginner-friendly piece at 118 BPM: the chords change at an easy pace, and 7 chords carry it. A first-year player can play along.
What key is Near Light by Ólafur Arnalds in?
Near Light is in D major, at around 118 BPM.
What are the chords in Near Light by Ólafur Arnalds?
The main chords are Bm, F#m, D, G, E, A, Em — see the full bar-by-bar chart on this page.