Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Back When on piano
Written by Stan Lynch, Stephony Smith & others
- G major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- IV–I–V–ii loop
- 2004
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Back When in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – D – Am
How it goes
Back When sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVGIDVAmii- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- AmA · C · E
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: Am – C – G
How it goes
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmCG
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Questions about Back When
What chords are in Back When?
The loop is C – G – D – Am (IV – I – V – ii) in G major, and the song ends on Am – C – G.
What key is Back When in?
G major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Back When?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Back When 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.