Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Cups (When I'm Gone) on piano
By Anna Kendrick
- C major
- 4/4
- 127 BPM
- 2013
- Easy
Learn Cups (When I'm Gone) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – G – F – Dm
Cups (When I'm Gone) sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D; F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmviGVFIVDmii- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Wobbly heartbeat
Two off-balance notes on the “ands”, then a firm landing on beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 267 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 127 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: Dm – G – C
The last chords are ii – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DmGC- CC · E · G
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Questions about Cups (When I'm Gone)
What chords are in Cups (When I'm Gone)?
The loop is Am – G – F – Dm (vi – V – IV – ii) in C major, and the song ends on Dm – G – C.
What key is Cups (When I'm Gone) in?
C major, at about 127 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cups (When I'm Gone)?
Wobbly heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cups (When I'm Gone) 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Cups (When I'm Gone)?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.