Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play As Tears Go By on piano
By Marianne Faithfull
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 1964
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn As Tears Go By in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – F7 – Ab – Bb7
How it goes
As Tears Go By sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIF7II7AbIVBb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
How it goes
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wake-and-run chords
How it goes
One long chord, then three quick ones running into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: Fm – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FmBb7Eb- FmF · Ab · C
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Questions about As Tears Go By
What chords are in As Tears Go By?
The loop is Eb – F7 – Ab – Bb7 (I – II7 – IV – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Fm – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is As Tears Go By in?
Eb major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in As Tears Go By?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is As Tears Go By 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.