Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Girlfriend on piano
By 'N Sync
- D major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Learn Girlfriend in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A – B – G – D – A – B – G
Girlfriend sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; B is B, D# and F#; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIAVBVIGIVDIAVBVIGIV- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- BB · D# · F#
- GG · B · D
- 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.
- 3
Right hand: Eager chords
Jumps in early before beat 3, like the chords can’t wait. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD
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Questions about Girlfriend
What chords are in Girlfriend?
The loop is D – A – B – G – D – A – B – G (I – V – VI – IV – I – V – VI – IV) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Girlfriend in?
D major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Girlfriend?
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 Girlfriend 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 Girlfriend?
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.