Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play How Will I Know? on piano
By Maury Yeston
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 2008
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn How Will I Know? in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fsus4 – F7 – Bb – Eb
How it goes
How Will I Know? sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fsus4 is F, Bb and C; F7 is F, A, C and Eb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Fsus4Vsus4F7V7BbIEbIV- Fsus4F · Bb · C
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Jack-in-the-box
How it goes
One note jumping up and down an octave on every beat. Musicians call it broken chord 3-10 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 164 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
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 160 BPM
How it goes
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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- FF · A · C
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Questions about How Will I Know?
What chords are in How Will I Know??
The loop is Fsus4 – F7 – Bb – Eb (Vsus – V7 – I – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is How Will I Know? in?
Bb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in How Will I Know??
Jack-in-the-box: broken chord 3-10, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is How Will I Know? 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.
Can I hear the real melody of How Will I Know??
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.