Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play Even If on piano
Written by Bart Millard, David Garcia & others
- F major
- 6/8
- 83 BPM
- vi–IV–I–V loop
- 2017
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Even If in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – Bb – F – C
How it goes
Even If sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmviBbIVFICV- DmD · F · A
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Rowing-boat pulse
How it goes
Six even low notes per bar, rolling along like oars on water. Musicians call it root bass · 6/8 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in 240 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Cradle chords
How it goes
A chord, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 83 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: Csus4 – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are Vsus – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
Csus4CF- Csus4C · F · G
Play next
Questions about Even If
What chords are in Even If?
The loop is Dm – Bb – F – C (vi – IV – I – V) in F major, and the song ends on Csus4 – C – F.
What key is Even If in?
F major, at about 83 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in Even If?
Rowing-boat pulse: root bass · 6/8 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Even If easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.