Piano chords · Blues & boogie
Helplessly Hoping: piano accompaniment sheet music
- G major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1969
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Helplessly Hoping written out as piano music: the ii – IV – I – V loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays seesaw bass (root–fifth 1-5-1-5) and the right hand late-knock chords.
Helplessly Hoping chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G 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 | Am | ii | A C E |
| 2 | C | IV | C E G |
| 3 | G | I | G B D |
| 4 | D | V | D F# A |
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: seesaw bass (root–fifth 1-5-1-5) in the left hand and late-knock chords in the right, over the Am – C – G – D 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.
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Questions about Helplessly Hoping
Does the sheet music for Helplessly Hoping 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 Helplessly Hoping?
The loop is Am – C – G – D (ii – IV – I – V) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is Helplessly Hoping in?
G major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Helplessly Hoping?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Helplessly Hoping 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.