Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play All By Myself on piano
By Eric Carmen
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1975
- Easy
Learn All By Myself in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – G7 – C – Cdim
All By Myself sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G; Cdim is C, Eb and Gb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiiG7V7CICdimi°- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- CdimC · Eb · Gb
- 2
Left hand: Giant steps
A full chord on every beat, low and heavy, like a giant walking. Musicians call it lh chords (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 BPM
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 – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about All By Myself
What chords are in All By Myself?
The loop is Dm – G7 – C – Cdim (ii – V7 – I – io) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is All By Myself in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in All By Myself?
Giant steps: lh chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is All By Myself 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.