Piano chords · Rock drive
A Whiter Shade of Pale: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Keith Reid & Gary Brooker
- C major
- 4/4
- 76 BPM
- 1967
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
A Whiter Shade of Pale written out as piano music: the I – iii – vi – I – IV – vi – ii – IV loop in C major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays marching giant (lh triads) and the right hand heartbeat chords.
A Whiter Shade of Pale chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in C major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | I | C E G |
| 1 | Em | iii | E G B |
| 2 | Am | vi | A C E |
| 2 | C | I | C E G |
| 3 | F | IV | F A C |
| 3 | Am | vi | A C E |
| 4 | Dm | ii | D F A |
| 4 | F | IV | F A C |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: marching giant (lh triads) in the left hand and heartbeat chords in the right, over the C – Em – Am – C – F – Am – Dm – F chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about A Whiter Shade of Pale
Does the sheet music for A Whiter Shade of Pale have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in A Whiter Shade of Pale?
The loop is C – Em – Am – C – F – Am – Dm – F (I – iii – vi – I – IV – vi – ii – IV) in C major, and the song ends on C – G7 – C.
What key is A Whiter Shade of Pale in?
C major, at about 76 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in A Whiter Shade of Pale?
Marching giant: lh triads, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is A Whiter Shade of Pale easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of A Whiter Shade of Pale?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.