Piano chords · Bossa beach
Both Sides Now: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Judy Collins
- A major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1967
- Medium
Both Sides Now written out as piano music: the I – IV – I – IV – I – IV – I – IV loop in A major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays bossa sway (root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&)) and the right hand falling stars.
Both Sides Now chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in A major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | I | A C# E |
| 1 | D | IV | D F# A |
| 2 | A | I | A C# E |
| 2 | D | IV | D F# A |
| 3 | A | I | A C# E |
| 3 | D | IV | D F# A |
| 4 | A | I | A C# E |
| 4 | D | IV | D F# A |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: bossa sway (root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&)) in the left hand and falling stars in the right, over the A – D – A – D – A – D – A – D chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Both Sides Now
Does the sheet music for Both Sides Now have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Both Sides Now?
The loop is A – D – A – D – A – D – A – D (I – IV – I – IV – I – IV – I – IV) in A major, and the song ends on A – D – A.
What key is Both Sides Now in?
A major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Both Sides Now?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Both Sides Now easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 8 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Both Sides Now?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.