Hurt – Johnny Cash

About this piece

Hurt was written by Trent Reznor for Nine Inch Nails, and Johnny Cash’s stark cover from late in his life became one of its best-known versions. Its slow, heavy chords and quiet melody give a lot of room for expression. The preview on this page plays the opening 30 seconds of the 3:22 arrangement (175 notes, about 6 a second). The arrangement is set at around 96 bpm, in 4/4. You will need about 4½ octaves, from C1 up to G5. Most of the preview is played in chords and intervals: 77 % of its key presses have two or more notes.

The range is wide, so sit at the middle of the keyboard and let your arms travel.

Full song

3:22

Preview

the opening 30 s, 175 notes

Tempo

about 96 bpm

Time signature

4/4

Range (full song)

C1–G5 (about 4½ octaves)

Notes (full song)

1,387