How Soon Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn How Soon in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Gm – C7 – F – Gm
How Soon sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiC7V7FIGmii
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
62 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Ocean swell
Eight notes rise high and fall back down: one big ocean swell per bar. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-12-10-8-5 (open arpeggio), a medium pattern heard in 80 songs of the library.
Ocean swellOpen arpeggio · Film scoreLeft handMedium
3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
4
Both hands at 110 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF
- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G

What chords are in How Soon?

The loop is Gm – C7 – F – Gm (ii – V7 – I – ii) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.

What key is How Soon in?

F major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in How Soon?

Ocean swell: open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-12-10-8-5, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is How Soon 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.