Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play I Still Believe on piano
By Mariah Carey
- E minor
- 2/2
- 144 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Still Believe in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – D – Bm – Em
How it goes
I Still Believe sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; D is D, F# and A; Bm is B, D and F#; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CVIDVIIBmvEmi- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- BmB · D · F#
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Island seesaw
How it goes
Low, high, low in the three-three-two island rhythm. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 723 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
How it goes
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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
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Questions about I Still Believe
What chords are in I Still Believe?
The loop is C – D – Bm – Em (bVI – bVII – v – i) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is I Still Believe in?
E minor, at about 144 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in I Still Believe?
Island seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Still Believe 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.