Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play If We’re Honest on piano
Written by Molly Reed, Francesca Battistelli & others
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 108 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 2014
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn If We’re Honest in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Eb – Bb – Eb
How it goes
If We’re Honest sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEbIVBbIEbIV- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 108 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
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Questions about If We’re Honest
What chords are in If We’re Honest?
The loop is Bb – Eb – Bb – Eb (I – IV – I – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is If We’re Honest in?
Bb major, at about 108 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in If We’re Honest?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is If We’re Honest 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 one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.