Piano chords · Bossa beach
By The Time: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Mika & Imogen Heap
- F major
- 4/4
- 80 BPM
- 2009
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
By The Time written out as piano music: the I5 – IVsus – VIsus – ii loop in F major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays tiptoe seesaw (root–fifth 1-5-5-5), and the right hand sings the tune.
By The Time chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in F 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 | F | I | F A C |
| 2 | Bbsus4 | IVsus4 | Bb Eb F |
| 3 | Dsus4 | VIsus4 | D G A |
| 4 | Gm | ii | G Bb D |
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: tiptoe seesaw (root–fifth 1-5-5-5) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the F – Bbsus4 – Dsus4 – Gm 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.
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Questions about By The Time
Does the sheet music for By The Time 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 By The Time?
The loop is F – Bbsus4 – Dsus4 – Gm (I5 – IVsus – VIsus – ii) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is By The Time in?
F major, at about 80 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in By The Time?
Tiptoe seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is By The Time 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.