Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Goodbye on piano
By Bill Evans
- C minor
- 4/4
- 74 BPM
- Easy
Learn Goodbye in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab7 – G7 – Ab7 – G7
Goodbye sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab7 is Ab, C, Eb and Gb; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Ab7VI7G7V7Ab7VI7G7V7- Ab7Ab · C · Eb · Gb
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Velvet jazz
Two soft notes on each beat: the cozy colour of old jazz ballads. Musicians call it lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3) (left-hand chords), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
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 74 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: Ab – Bb – Cm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
Play next
Questions about Goodbye
What chords are in Goodbye?
The loop is Ab7 – G7 – Ab7 – G7 (bVI7 – V7 – bVI7 – V7) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is Goodbye in?
C minor, at about 74 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Goodbye?
Velvet jazz: lh shell voicings (1-7 / 1-3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Goodbye easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.