Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Don’t Let Me Down on piano
By The Beatles
- F major
- 4/4
- 115 BPM
- 1969
- Easy
Learn Don’t Let Me Down in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – C7 – F – Bb7
Don’t Let Me Down sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiC7V7FIBb7IV7- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
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: Late-knock chords
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 115 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 Don’t Let Me Down
What chords are in Don’t Let Me Down?
The loop is Gm – C7 – F – Bb7 (ii – V7 – I – IV7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Don’t Let Me Down in?
F major, at about 115 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Don’t Let Me Down?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Don’t Let Me Down 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.