Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play I Ain’t Never on piano
Written by Mel Tillis & Webb Pierce
- G major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- IV–I–IV–I loop
- 1959
- Easy
Learn I Ain’t Never in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – C – G
I Ain’t Never sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVGICIVGI- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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
Play next
Questions about I Ain’t Never
What chords are in I Ain’t Never?
The loop is C – G – C – G (IV – I – IV – I) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is I Ain’t Never in?
G major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Ain’t Never?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Ain’t Never 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.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.