Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play I Never Knew His Name on piano
Written by Mark Schoenfeld & Barri McPherson
- C major
- 3/4
- 100 BPM
- 1998
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Never Knew His Name in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Bm – E7 – Am
How it goes
I Never Knew His Name sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Bm is B, D and F#; E7 is E, G#, B and D; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIBmviiE7III7Amvi- CC · E · G
- BmB · D · F#
- E7E · G# · B · D
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Waltz climb
How it goes
Three notes up the chord, one per beat: a gentle waltz climb. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (3/4) (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 248 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
How it goes
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: C – Fm – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFmC- FmF · Ab · C
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Questions about I Never Knew His Name
What chords are in I Never Knew His Name?
The loop is C – Bm – E7 – Am (I – vii – III7 – vi) in C major, and the song ends on C – Fm – C.
What key is I Never Knew His Name in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in I Never Knew His Name?
Waltz climb: broken chord 1-3-5 (3/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Never Knew His Name easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.