Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Don't Dream It's Over on piano
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- 1986
- Easy
Learn Don't Dream It's Over in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – Ab – Dm – G7
Don't Dream It's Over sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmviAbIVDmviiG7III7- CmC · Eb · G
- AbAb · C · Eb
- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Don't Dream It's Over
What chords are in Don't Dream It's Over?
The loop is Cm – Ab – Dm – G7 (vi – IV – vii – III7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Don't Dream It's Over in?
Eb major, at about 138 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Don't Dream It's Over?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Don't Dream It's Over 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.