Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Yesterday on piano
By The Beatles
- F major
- 4/4
- 86 BPM
- 1965
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Yesterday in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em7 – Am7 – Dm – Dm7 – Bb – C7 – F
How it goes
Yesterday sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: Em7 is E, G, B and D; Am7 is A, C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; Dm7 is D, F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Em7vii7Am7iii7DmviDm7vi7BbIVC7V7FI- Em7E · G · B · D
- Am7A · C · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- Dm7D · F · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
How it goes
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 86 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about Yesterday
What chords are in Yesterday?
The loop is Em7 – Am7 – Dm – Dm7 – Bb – C7 – F (vii7 – iii7 – vi – vi7 – IV – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Yesterday in?
F major, at about 86 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Yesterday?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Yesterday easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Yesterday?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 7 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.