Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play I Have Nothing on piano
Written by David Foster & Linda Thompson-Jenner
- Bb major
- 12/8
- 78 BPM
- 1992
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Have Nothing in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm7 – Gm7 – Eb – Cm7 – Dm7 – Gm7 – Cm7 – Gm7
How it goes
I Have Nothing sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Dm7 is D, F, A and C; Gm7 is G, Bb, D and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Cm7 is C, Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Dm7iii7Gm7vi7EbIVCm7ii7Dm7iii7Gm7vi7Cm7ii7Gm7vi7- Dm7D · F · A · C
- Gm7G · Bb · D · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- Cm7C · Eb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Cradle pulse
How it goes
A deep note, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 160 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Cradle chords
How it goes
A chord, a rock to beat two, a soft pickup back: like a cradle. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 78 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 – F7 – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbF7Bb- F7F · A · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
Play next
Questions about I Have Nothing
What chords are in I Have Nothing?
The loop is Dm7 – Gm7 – Eb – Cm7 – Dm7 – Gm7 – Cm7 – Gm7 (iii7 – vi7 – IV – ii7 – iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – vi7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F7 – Bb.
What key is I Have Nothing in?
Bb major, at about 78 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in I Have Nothing?
Cradle pulse: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Have Nothing easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of I Have Nothing?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.