Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Don’t Wake Me Up on piano
By Chris Brown
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- IV–V–vi–I loop
- Easy
Learn Don’t Wake Me Up in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – F – Gm – Bb
Don’t Wake Me Up sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIVFVGmviBbI- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- BbBb · D · F
- 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: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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
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Questions about Don’t Wake Me Up
What chords are in Don’t Wake Me Up?
The loop is Eb – F – Gm – Bb (IV – V – vi – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Don’t Wake Me Up in?
Bb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Don’t Wake Me Up?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Don’t Wake Me Up 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.