Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Close To Me on piano
By Ellie Goulding, Diplo & Swae Lee
- E major
- 4/4
- 145 BPM
- 2018
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Close To Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – C#m – G# – A
How it goes
Close To Me sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; C#m is C#, E and G#; G# is G#, B# and D#; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIC#mviG#IIIAIV- EE · G# · B
- C#mC# · E · G#
- G#G# · B# · D#
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
How it goes
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: Late-knock chords
How it goes
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 145 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 – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- BB · D# · F#
Play next
Questions about Close To Me
What chords are in Close To Me?
The loop is E – C#m – G# – A (I5 – vi – III – IV) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Close To Me in?
E major, at about 145 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Close To Me?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Close To Me 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.