Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Happier on piano
Written by Ed Sheeran, Benjamin Levin & others
- C major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- 2017
- Easy
Learn Happier in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am7 – F – C – Am7 – F – C
Happier sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Am7 is A, C, E and G; F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Am7vi7FIVCIAm7vi7FIVCI- Am7A · C · E · G
- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Walking roots
One low note on every beat, steady as walking feet. Musicians call it root bass · quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 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.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: Am – F – C
The last chords are vi – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmFC- AmA · C · E
Play next
Questions about Happier
What chords are in Happier?
The loop is Am7 – F – C – Am7 – F – C (vi7 – IV – I – vi7 – IV – I) in C major, and the song ends on Am – F – C.
What key is Happier in?
C major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Happier?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Happier easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Happier?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening 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.