Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How Long: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Paul Carrack
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 128 BPM
- 1974
- Easy
How Long written out as piano music: the vi – iii7 – ii – iii7 – vi loop in Eb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)), and the right hand sings the tune.
How Long chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Eb 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 | Cm | vi | C Eb G |
| 2 | Gm7 | iii7 | G Bb D F |
| 3 | Fm | ii | F Ab C |
| 4 | Gm7 | iii7 | G Bb D F |
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: pop heartbeat (root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Cm – Gm7 – Fm – Fm – Gm7 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.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about How Long
Does the sheet music for How Long 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 How Long?
The loop is Cm – Gm7 – Fm – Fm – Gm7 (vi – iii7 – ii – iii7 – vi) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is How Long in?
Eb major, at about 128 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in How Long?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is How Long easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of How Long?
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.