Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Butterfly on piano
Written by Jason Mraz
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 2008
- Easy
Learn Butterfly in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fm – Bbm – Cm – Fm
Butterfly sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmviBbmiiCmiiiFmvi- FmF · Ab · C
- BbmBb · Db · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: Db – Eb – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
Play next
Questions about Butterfly
What chords are in Butterfly?
The loop is Fm – Bbm – Cm – Fm (vi – ii – iii – vi) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Butterfly in?
Ab major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Butterfly?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Butterfly 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.