Piano chords · Lullaby boat
I Have Nothing: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by David Foster & Linda Thompson-Jenner
- Bb major
- 12/8
- 78 BPM
- 1992
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
I Have Nothing written out as piano music: the iii7 – vi7 – IV – ii7 – iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – vi7 loop in Bb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays cradle pulse (root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8)) and the right hand cradle chords.
I Have Nothing chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Bb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dm7 | iii7 | D F A C |
| 2 | Gm7 | vi7 | G Bb D F |
| 3 | Eb | IV | Eb G Bb |
| 4 | Cm7 | ii7 | C Eb G Bb |
| 5 | Dm7 | iii7 | D F A C |
| 6 | Gm7 | vi7 | G Bb D F |
| 7 | Cm7 | ii7 | C Eb G Bb |
| 8 | Gm7 | vi7 | G Bb D F |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: cradle pulse (root bass · 1 · 2 · 2.3 (6/8)) in the left hand and cradle chords in the right, over the Dm7 – Gm7 – Eb – Cm7 – Dm7 – Gm7 – Cm7 – Gm7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about I Have Nothing
Does the sheet music for I Have Nothing have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
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.