Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play A Little Less Conversation on piano
Written by Billy Strange & Scott Davis
- E major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- 1968
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn A Little Less Conversation in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E7 – A7 – E7 – A7 – E7 – A7 – E7 – A7
How it goes
A Little Less Conversation sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: E7 is E, G#, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
E7I7A7IV7E7I7A7IV7E7I7A7IV7E7I7A7IV7- E7E · G# · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Engine 8ths
How it goes
The lowest note on every eighth: the engine of rock. Musicians call it root bass · 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Ticking clock
How it goes
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- AA · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#
- EE · G# · B
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Questions about A Little Less Conversation
What chords are in A Little Less Conversation?
The loop is E7 – A7 – E7 – A7 – E7 – A7 – E7 – A7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – IV7 – I7 – IV7 – I7 – IV7) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is A Little Less Conversation in?
E major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in A Little Less Conversation?
Engine 8ths: root bass · 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is A Little Less Conversation easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 8 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of A Little Less Conversation?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.