Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
How to play Cryin’ Time on piano
Written by Buck Owens
- Ab major
- 12/8
- 102 BPM
- IV–I–V7–I loop
- 1964
- Easy
Learn Cryin’ Time in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Db – Ab – Eb7 – Ab
Cryin’ Time sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Db is Db, F and Ab; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DbIVAbIEb7V7AbI- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Slow-dance heartbeat
Four slow, deep beats under a swaying fifties ballad. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 134 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 102 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: Db – Eb – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Cryin’ Time
What chords are in Cryin’ Time?
The loop is Db – Ab – Eb7 – Ab (IV – I – V7 – I) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Cryin’ Time in?
Ab major, at about 102 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Cryin’ Time?
Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cryin’ 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.