Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Can You Do It? on piano
Written by Rich Collins, Scott Durbin & others
- D major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- I–V–I–V loop
- 2009
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Can You Do It? in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A – D – A
How it goes
Can You Do It? sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIAVDIAV- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Bossa chords
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: soft Brazilian chords. 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: A – G – D
How it goes
The last chords are V – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AGD- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about Can You Do It?
What chords are in Can You Do It??
The loop is D – A – D – A (I – V – I – V) in D major, and the song ends on A – G – D.
What key is Can You Do It? in?
D major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Can You Do It??
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 Can You Do It? 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.