Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Hey, Tonight on piano
Artist unknown
- E major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- Medium
Learn Hey, Tonight in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – A – E – A
Hey, Tonight sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIAIVEIAIV- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Hammering bass
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: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: A – B – E
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- BB · D# · F#
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Questions about Hey, Tonight
What chords are in Hey, Tonight?
The loop is E – A – E – A (I – IV – I – IV) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Hey, Tonight in?
E major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Hey, Tonight?
Hammering bass: broken chord 8-8, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hey, Tonight easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.