Piano chords · Film & wonder
How to play I Wonder (Departure) on piano
Written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus & others
- C major
- 4/4
- 68 BPM
- I–IV–V–I loop
- 1978
- Tricky
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I Wonder (Departure) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – G – C
How it goes
I Wonder (Departure) sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVGVCI- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Big sweep
How it goes
Two octaves in one sweep: the film-score sound. Musicians call it wide arpeggio 8-12-15-1-5-8 (wide arpeggio), a tricky pattern heard in 131 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 68 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 – F – C
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFC
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Questions about I Wonder (Departure)
What chords are in I Wonder (Departure)?
The loop is C – F – G – C (I – IV – V – I) in C major, and the song ends on C – F – C.
What key is I Wonder (Departure) in?
C major, at about 68 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I Wonder (Departure)?
Big sweep: wide arpeggio 8-12-15-1-5-8, a tricky pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I Wonder (Departure) easy to play on piano?
It is a tricky one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.