How to Play Open Arms on Gesture Synth
SZA · A major · 78 BPM · medium · 4 chords
Play it nowOpen Arms is a slow ballad from SZA's 2022 album SOS, and it suits a gesture synth well: one loop, soft changes and plenty of space between chords. The challenge is the last chord, which needs a tilt. The first three chords use simple upright shapes, so you can get the loop moving before you worry about it.
The song is in A major and loops A, C#m, Bm and Dm. A is one finger, C#m is three fingers and Bm is two fingers, all natural chords of the key. Dm is the fourth chord tilted left to make it minor. That borrowed minor chord gives the loop its bittersweet turn before it settles back on A.
At about 78 BPM with four beats per chord, the pace is unhurried. The recording's tempo drifts a little, so Follow mode is the friendliest place to start. Show four fingers on your right hand to add sevenths for a softer, jazzier color. Warm Pad or Glass Keys both fit its mellow mood. If tilting is new to you, see how tilting changes a chord.
Chords in Open Arms
Each chord with the hand sign for your chord hand (the left hand by default — swap hands in Settings).
| Hand sign | Chord | How to make it |
|---|---|---|
| I · A | Left hand: index finger up | |
| iii · C#m | Left hand: index + middle + ring | |
| ii · Bm | Left hand: index + middle | |
| iv · Dm | Left hand: four fingers, thumb tucked, tilted left (minor) |
Open Arms chord progression
Numbers in brackets are beats per chord. Sections repeat as marked.
| Section | Chords |
|---|---|
| Intro | I A (4) → iii C#m (4) → ii Bm (4) → iv Dm (4) |
| Verse ×2 | I A (4) → iii C#m (4) → ii Bm (4) → iv Dm (4) |
| Chorus ×2 | I A (4) → iii C#m (4) → ii Bm (4) → iv Dm (4) |
| Outro | I A (4) → iii C#m (4) → ii Bm (4) → iv Dm (4) → I A (4) |
How to practise it step by step
- 1
Open the song in the instrument
Press Play it now. The instrument loads Open Arms in A major and shows the target chord with its hand sign above the camera.
- 2
Learn the chord shapes
You need 4 chords: I (A), iii (C#m), ii (Bm), iv (Dm). iv is played by tilting the chord hand.
- 3
Go through it in Follow mode
Follow mode waits for you: each time you make the right chord it moves to the next one, so you can learn the order at your own speed.
- 4
Play along in time
Switch to Play-along. After four count-in clicks the song runs at 78 BPM and every chord you hit on time turns green. You can change chords up to half a beat early.
- 5
Record your take
When it feels good, press Record to save a 9:16 clip with sound — ready for TikTok or Reels. The video stays on your device.
Tips
- One four-chord loop runs through the whole song. The last chord, iv, is the fourth degree tilted left to make it minor — that dark turn is what gives the loop its ache.
- Show four fingers on your right hand to add sevenths; it brings the chords closer to the recording's jazzy colour.
- The tempo is slow and loose, so Follow mode is a good place to start before Play-along.
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Questions about this song
What key is Open Arms in?
This version by SZA is in A major at about 78 BPM. The instrument switches to that key automatically when you load the song, and you can change the key afterwards — the hand signs stay the same because they follow chord numbers, not note names.
How many chords does the song use?
4: A, C#m, Bm, Dm. Learn them in Follow mode first, then try Play-along.
Can I play it without a webcam?
Yes. Use number keys 1–7 for the chords (hold Shift to flip major/minor) or tap the on-screen chord pads. Practice mode works with every input.
Why does Dm need a tilt?
In A major the fourth chord is naturally D major. Open Arms uses D minor there instead, so you make the four-finger sign and tilt your chord hand left past about 20 degrees. Practice the change from Bm (two fingers, upright) to Dm (four fingers, tilted) slowly. It's the only change that needs both a new shape and a tilt.
Is the last chord exactly what's on the recording?
Not exactly. Chord charts disagree on the third and fourth chords, and one common reading uses a half-diminished chord (Bm7b5) that hand signs can't make. Dm is a simplified stand-in: it shares that chord's upper notes, so it keeps a similar dark color. Treat this version as a close arrangement rather than an exact transcription.
Can I play it faster or slower?
There's no tempo control. Follow mode has no tempo; it moves on whenever you play the right chord. Play-along runs at the song's 78 BPM, a steady stand-in for the recording's slightly loose tempo.