Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Don’t Blame Me on piano
Written by Taylor Swift, Max Martin & others
- A minor
- 2/2
- 85 BPM
- 2017
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Don’t Blame Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm7 – Am – Am – F – Dm7 – Am
How it goes
Don’t Blame Me sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Dm7 is D, F, A and C; Am is A, C and E; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Dm7iv7AmiAmiFVIDm7iv7Ami- Dm7D · F · A · C
- AmA · C · E
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Gospel-clap chords
How it goes
Skips beat 1, then soulful chords that bounce off the “ands”. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 85 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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- GG · B · D
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Questions about Don’t Blame Me
What chords are in Don’t Blame Me?
The loop is Dm7 – Am – Am – F – Dm7 – Am (iv7 – i – VI – iv7 – i – iv7) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Don’t Blame Me in?
A minor, at about 85 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Don’t Blame Me?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Don’t Blame Me easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Don’t Blame Me?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.