Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play I Didn’t Plan It on piano
Written by Sara Bareilles
- E minor
- 4/4
- 121 BPM
- 2015
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Didn’t Plan It in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – Dsus4 – G – G
How it goes
I Didn’t Plan It sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; Dsus4 is D, G and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiDsus4VIIsus4GIIIGIII- EmE · G · B
- Dsus4D · G · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Shy chords
How it goes
Waits out beat 1, then a chord on 2 and a little double on 3. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 121 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
Play next
Questions about I Didn’t Plan It
What chords are in I Didn’t Plan It?
The loop is Em – Dsus4 – G – G (i – bVIIsus – bIII – bIII5) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is I Didn’t Plan It in?
E minor, at about 121 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Didn’t Plan It?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Didn’t Plan It 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.