Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Falling Slowly on piano
By Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox
- C major
- 4/4
- 69 BPM
- 2006
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Falling Slowly in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Fsus4 – C – Fsus4
How it goes
Falling Slowly sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Fsus4 is F, Bb and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFsus4IVsus4CIFsus4IVsus4- CC · E · G
- Fsus4F · Bb · C
- 2
Left hand: Busy rocking
How it goes
A low root, then quick notes rocking between two higher keys. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5 (broken chord), a medium pattern heard in 200 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 69 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Falling Slowly
What chords are in Falling Slowly?
The loop is C – Fsus4 – C – Fsus4 (I – IVsus4 – I – IVsus4) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Falling Slowly in?
C major, at about 69 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Falling Slowly?
Busy rocking: broken chord 1-5, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Falling Slowly 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Falling Slowly?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.