It's Too Late Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn It's Too Late in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Am – Em – Am7 – Am – Em – Am7
How it goes
It's Too Late sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Am is A, C and E; Em is E, G and B; Am7 is A, C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmviEmiiiAm7vi7AmviEmiiiAm7vi7
- AmA · C · E
- EmE · G · B
- Am7A · C · E · G
26 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Pop heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Bossa chords
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: soft Brazilian chords. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Bossa chordsSyncopated chords · Bossa novaRight handEasy
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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC
- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G

What chords are in It's Too Late?

The loop is Am – Em – Am7 – Am – Em – Am7 (vi – iii – vi7 – vi – iii – vi7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.

What key is It's Too Late in?

C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in It's Too Late?

Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is It's Too Late easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of It's Too Late?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.