Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Back to Where I Was on piano
Written by Eric Hutchinson
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–vi–I–vi loop
- 2007
- Easy
Learn Back to Where I Was in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Am – C – Am
Back to Where I Was sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIAmviCIAmvi- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Hurry-and-wait pulse
Three quick notes rush out early, then the bass waits for the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 336 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 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 Back to Where I Was
What chords are in Back to Where I Was?
The loop is C – Am – C – Am (I – vi – I – vi) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Back to Where I Was in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Back to Where I Was?
Hurry-and-wait pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Back to Where I Was 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.