Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Acquainted on piano
Written by Abel Tesfaye, Jason Quenneville & others
- G minor
- 4/4
- 92 BPM
- i–bVII–i–bVII loop
- 2015
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Acquainted in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – F – Gm – F
How it goes
Acquainted sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiFVIIGmiFVII- GmG · Bb · D
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
How it goes
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Deep-breath chords
How it goes
A breath on beat 1, then quick chords pumping to the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 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 – Gm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFGm- EbEb · G · Bb
Play next
Questions about Acquainted
What chords are in Acquainted?
The loop is Gm – F – Gm – F (i – bVII – i – bVII) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is Acquainted in?
G minor, at about 92 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Acquainted?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Acquainted easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.