Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Are You Lonesome Tonight on piano
- C major
- 3/4
- 130 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Are You Lonesome Tonight in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – C – F – Fm
How it goes
Are You Lonesome Tonight sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G7V7CIFIVFmiv- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Waltz ripple
How it goes
A ripple of three notes in three-time. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (3/4) (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 473 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz bells
How it goes
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 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 – Fm – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FFmC
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Questions about Are You Lonesome Tonight
What chords are in Are You Lonesome Tonight?
The loop is G7 – C – F – Fm (V7 – I – IV – iv) in C major, and the song ends on F – Fm – C.
What key is Are You Lonesome Tonight in?
C major, at about 130 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Waltz ripple: broken chord 1-5-8 (3/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Are You Lonesome Tonight 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.