Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Darlin’ on piano
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Darlin’ in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fm – Eb – F7 – Cm
How it goes
Darlin’ sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fm is F, Ab and C; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FmvEbIVF7V7Cmii- FmF · Ab · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Dancing heartbeat
How it goes
Notes dance around the beats, pushing ahead on the “ands”. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 245 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Freeze-tag chords
How it goes
Chord, chord-and, then freeze for the rest of the bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Darlin’
What chords are in Darlin’?
The loop is Fm – Eb – F7 – Cm (v – IV – V7 – ii) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Darlin’ in?
Bb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Darlin’?
Dancing heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 3& · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Darlin’ 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.