For The Good Times Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn For The Good Times in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: D – Em – A7 – A – D
For The Good Times sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: D is D, F# and A; Em is E, G and B; A7 is A, C#, E and G; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIEmiiA7V7AVDI
- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
- AA · C# · E
78 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Bossa sway
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Bossa swayRoot bass rhythm · Bossa novaLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Hopscotch chordsBlock chords · StrideRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 76 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: D – G – D
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DGD
- GG · B · D

What chords are in For The Good Times?

The loop is D – Em – A7 – A – D (I – ii – V7 – V – I) in D major, and the song ends on D – G – D.

What key is For The Good Times in?

D major, at about 76 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in For The Good Times?

Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is For The Good Times easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of For The Good Times?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.