Fireflies artwork

Fireflies

Owl City

KeyE♭ major
Tempo90 BPM
Duration3:48

Rhodes melody, piano & acoustic guitar.

Song map

INTROClick a line to play from there
SONG NOTES

Questions about this song

Answers from our automatic transcription. Key, tempo and chord labels may contain errors.

What key is Fireflies by Owl City in?

This transcription starts in E♭ major.

What tempo is Fireflies?

The estimated tempo is 90 BPM, calculated from the median spacing between detected beats. This is a summary of the transcription; timing can vary during the song.

What are the main chord progressions in Fireflies?

Recurring four-chord sequences in this transcription include B♭ → E♭ → A♭ → B♭ (10 occurrences); E♭ → A♭ → B♭ → E♭ (10 occurrences); A♭ → B♭ → E♭ → A♭ (10 occurrences). These are exact chord-label matches within sections, not a complete harmonic analysis.

What are the relative chords in Fireflies?

Here are a few patterns to play with: V → I → IV → V in E♭ major; I → IV → V → I in E♭ major; IV → V → I → IV in E♭ major. Think of Roman numerals as chord names you can take into any key. Uppercase is major, lowercase is minor; in minor keys, we count from the natural-minor scale.

Does Fireflies use a well-known chord progression?

Yes! In E♭ major: The four-chord pop progression (V → vi → IV → I) shows up in the chorus at 0:56 and 1:39. The big singalong loop: a little lift, a little heartache, and an easy way back home. The hopscotch progression (I → IV → V → vi) shows up in the chorus at 0:54 and 1:37. Three rising chord roots give this loop a lift before it hops back around. The three-chord I–IV–V progression (V → I → IV) shows up in the intro at 0:00 and 0:05. Three chords, plenty of mileage: home, a lift away, and the pull to come back. The Puff progression (I → iii → IV) shows up in the chorus at 0:49 and 1:32. The move through iii puts a gentle minor shade between two bright major chords.

What time signature is Fireflies in?

The transcription starts in 4/4.

How is Fireflies structured?

The detected sections are intro (0:00) → verse (0:21) → chorus (0:42) → verse (1:04) → chorus (1:25) → verse (1:49) → chorus (2:32) → outro (3:14).

How long is this version of Fireflies?

The transcribed version lasts 3:48. Other recordings or edits may have a different duration.

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