Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Girlfriend on piano
Written by Matthew Sweet
- D major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1991
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Girlfriend in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G7 – Gsus4 – D – D – C – C – G7 – Gsus4 – D – D – C
How it goes
Girlfriend sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 11 chords: G7 is G, B, D and F; Gsus4 is G, C and D; D is D, F# and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G7IV7Gsus4IVsus4DIDICbVIICbVIIG7IV7Gsus4IVsus4DIDICbVII- G7G · B · D · F
- Gsus4G · C · D
- DD · F# · A
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Hammering bass
How it goes
The same note hammered on every quick beat, dipping only at the end. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8 (broken chord), a medium pattern heard in 280 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
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
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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
Play next
Questions about Girlfriend
What chords are in Girlfriend?
The loop is G7 – Gsus4 – D – D – C – C – G7 – Gsus4 – D – D – C (IV7 – IVsus4 – I – bVII – IV7 – IVsus4 – I – bVII – IV7 – IVsus4 – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Girlfriend in?
D major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Girlfriend?
Hammering bass: broken chord 8-8, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Girlfriend easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 11 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Girlfriend?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro 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.