Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Diane on piano
By Erno Rapee
- F major
- 3/4
- 126 BPM
- 1927
- Easy
Learn Diane in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F – Fdim – C7
Diane sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; Fdim is F, Ab and Cb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7FIFdimi°C7V7- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- FdimF · Ab · Cb
- 2
Left hand: Moonlit climb
Three notes rising to a soft, jazzy top note in three, left to ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-7 (3/4) (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 211 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swaying waltz chords
Two waltz chords, then a late top note after beat 3 that leans forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 126 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Diane
What chords are in Diane?
The loop is C7 – F – Fdim – C7 (V7 – I – io – V7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Diane in?
F major, at about 126 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Diane?
Moonlit climb: broken chord 1-5-7 (3/4), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Diane 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.