Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play How Long Has This Been Going On? on piano
- G major
- 2/2
- 80 BPM
- 1927
- Easy
Learn How Long Has This Been Going On? in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D7 – Ddim – D7 – G7 – C7 – Cm7
How Long Has This Been Going On? sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: D7 is D, F#, A and C; Ddim is D, F and Ab; G7 is G, B, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Cm7 is C, Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
D7V7Ddimv°D7V7G7I7C7IV7Cm7iv7- D7D · F# · A · C
- DdimD · F · Ab
- G7G · B · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- Cm7C · Eb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Hopscotch steps
Step, step, skip a beat, step: like hopping over a square. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 668 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 80 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 – C – G
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GCG- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about How Long Has This Been Going On?
What chords are in How Long Has This Been Going On??
The loop is D7 – Ddim – D7 – G7 – C7 – Cm7 (V7 – v° – V7 – I7 – IV7 – iv7) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is How Long Has This Been Going On? in?
G major, at about 80 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in How Long Has This Been Going On??
Hopscotch steps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is How Long Has This Been Going On? 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 How Long Has This Been Going On??
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.