Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Can You Tell on piano
Written by Wes Miles, Mathieu Santos & others
- A major
- 2/2
- 142 BPM
- V–I–IV–V loop
- 2008
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Can You Tell in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – A – D – E
How it goes
Can You Tell sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EVAIDIVEV- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Rock hop
How it goes
Low, high, a quick double, then high again: a hopping rock bass. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 809 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
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 142 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: D – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA
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Questions about Can You Tell
What chords are in Can You Tell?
The loop is E – A – D – E (V – I – IV – V) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Can You Tell in?
A major, at about 142 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Can You Tell?
Rock hop: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Can You Tell 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.