Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play If I Ain’t Got You on piano
By Alicia Keys
- G major
- 3/4
- 144 BPM
- 2003
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn If I Ain’t Got You in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am7 – Am7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7 – Am7 – Bm7
How it goes
If I Ain’t Got You sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Am7 is A, C, E and G; Gmaj7 is G, B, D and F#; Bm7 is B, D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Am7ii7Am7ii7Gmaj7Imaj7Gmaj7Imaj7Am7ii7Bm7iii7- Am7A · C · E · G
- Gmaj7G · B · D · F#
- Bm7B · D · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Waltz roots
How it goes
One low note on each of the three beats: a simple waltz floor. Musicians call it root bass · 3/4 quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 391 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
How it goes
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. 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 – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about If I Ain’t Got You
What chords are in If I Ain’t Got You?
The loop is Am7 – Am7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7 – Am7 – Bm7 (ii7 – Imaj7 – ii7 – iii7 – ii7 – Imaj7) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is If I Ain’t Got You in?
G major, at about 144 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in If I Ain’t Got You?
Waltz roots: root bass · 3/4 quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is If I Ain’t Got You easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of If I Ain’t Got You?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.