Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Days Are Numbers on piano
By Alan Parsons Project
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–vi–IV–Vsus loop
- Easy
Learn Days Are Numbers in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Am – F – Gsus4
Days Are Numbers sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E; F is F, A and C; Gsus4 is G, C and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIAmviFIVGsus4Vsus4- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- FF · A · C
- Gsus4G · C · D
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 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 100 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: Gsus4 – G – C
The last chords are Vsus – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
Gsus4GC- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about Days Are Numbers
What chords are in Days Are Numbers?
The loop is C – Am – F – Gsus4 (I – vi – IV – Vsus) in C major, and the song ends on Gsus4 – G – C.
What key is Days Are Numbers in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Days Are Numbers?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Days Are Numbers 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.