Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love on piano
Written by David Lee Roth, Edward Van Halen & others
- A minor
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- 1978
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – G – Am – G
How it goes
Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiGVIIAmiGVII- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
How it goes
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
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Questions about Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love
What chords are in Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love?
The loop is Am – G – Am – G (i – bVII5 – i – bVII5) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love in?
A minor, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love 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.