Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Cute on piano
By Count Basie
- C major
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- 1964
- Easy
Learn Cute in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Dm – D#dim – C
Cute sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; D#dim is D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIDmiiD#dimbiii°CI- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- D#dimD# · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Yo-yo bounce
A long high root, a dip down, and back up like a yo-yo. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 629 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sprint-and-stop chords
Four quick chords in the first half, then a calm, empty second half. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 138 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Cute
What chords are in Cute?
The loop is C – Dm – D#dim – C (I – ii – biiio – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Cute in?
C major, at about 138 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Cute?
Yo-yo bounce: broken chord 8-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Cute 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.