Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Cooler Than Me on piano
By Mike Posner
- G minor
- 4/4
- 104 BPM
- Easy
Learn Cooler Than Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – Gm – Eb – D7
Cooler Than Me sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7V7GmiEbVID7V7- D7D · F# · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sleep-in chords
Quiet for half the bar, then three chords wake up near the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 104 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: Eb – F – Gm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFGm- FF · A · C
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Questions about Cooler Than Me
What chords are in Cooler Than Me?
The loop is D7 – Gm – Eb – D7 (V7 – i – bVI – V7) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is Cooler Than Me in?
G minor, at about 104 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cooler Than Me?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cooler Than 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.