Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Memories on piano
Written by Billy Strange & Scott Davis
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 1969
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Memories in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bbmaj7 – Eb – Bbmaj7 – Ebmaj7
How it goes
Memories sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbmaj7 is Bb, D, F and A; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ebmaj7 is Eb, G, Bb and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bbmaj7Imaj7EbIVBbmaj7Imaj7Ebmaj7IVmaj7- Bbmaj7Bb · D · F · A
- EbEb · G · Bb
- Ebmaj7Eb · G · Bb · D
- 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.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Memories
What chords are in Memories?
The loop is Bbmaj7 – Eb – Bbmaj7 – Ebmaj7 (Imaj7 – IV – Imaj7 – IVmaj7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Memories in?
Bb major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Memories?
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 Memories 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Memories?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.