Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
Forever: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Mariah Carey
- Ab major
- 12/8
- 95 BPM
- 1995
- Easy
Forever written out as piano music: the I – vi – IV – iv – I – vi – IV – iv loop in Ab major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays slow-dance heartbeat (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8)), and the right hand sings the tune.
Forever chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Ab major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | I | Ab C Eb |
| 1 | Fm | vi | F Ab C |
| 2 | Db | IV | Db F Ab |
| 2 | Dbm | iv | Db Fb Ab |
| 3 | Ab | I | Ab C Eb |
| 3 | Fm | vi | F Ab C |
| 4 | Db | IV | Db F Ab |
| 4 | Dbm | iv | Db Fb Ab |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: slow-dance heartbeat (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Ab – Fm – Db – Dbm – Ab – Fm – Db – Dbm chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Forever
Does the sheet music for Forever have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Forever?
The loop is Ab – Fm – Db – Dbm – Ab – Fm – Db – Dbm (I – vi – IV – iv – I – vi – IV – iv) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Forever in?
Ab major, at about 95 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Forever?
Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Forever easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Forever?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.