Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Don’t Forget About Us on piano
By Mariah Carey
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 110 BPM
- I–iii–I–iii loop
- Easy
Learn Don’t Forget About Us in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Dm – Bb – Dm
Don’t Forget About Us sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIDmiiiBbIDmiii- BbBb · D · F
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swing push
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about Don’t Forget About Us
What chords are in Don’t Forget About Us?
The loop is Bb – Dm – Bb – Dm (I – iii – I – iii) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Don’t Forget About Us in?
Bb major, at about 110 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Don’t Forget About Us?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Don’t Forget About Us 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.