Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Almost Like Praying on piano
Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Sondheim & others
- F minor
- 2/2
- 144 BPM
- 2017
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Almost Like Praying in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – C7 – Fm – Ab
How it goes
Almost Like Praying sits in F minor: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIIIC7V7FmiAbIII- AbAb · C · Eb
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
How it goes
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (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 144 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: Db – Eb – Fm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbFm- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
Play next
Questions about Almost Like Praying
What chords are in Almost Like Praying?
The loop is Ab – C7 – Fm – Ab (bIII – V7 – i – bIII) in F minor, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Fm.
What key is Almost Like Praying in?
F minor, at about 144 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Almost Like Praying?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Almost Like Praying 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.