Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
A Whiter Shade of Pale: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Sarah Brightman
- F major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
A Whiter Shade of Pale written out as piano music: the IV – ii – IV – V loop in F major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays double-tap drop (broken chord 8-8-5), and the right hand sings the tune.
A Whiter Shade of Pale chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in F 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 | Bb | IV | Bb D F |
| 2 | Gm | ii | G Bb D |
| 3 | Bb | IV | Bb D F |
| 4 | C | V | C E G |
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: double-tap drop (broken chord 8-8-5) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Bb – Gm – Bb – C 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.
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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 Bb – Gm – Bb – C (IV – ii – IV – V) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is A Whiter Shade of Pale in?
F major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in A Whiter Shade of Pale?
Double-tap drop: broken chord 8-8-5, 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 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.