Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) on piano
By Henry Creamer
- Eb major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- V7–I–biio–ii loop
- 1926
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Edim – Fm
How it goes
If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Edim is E, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIEdimbii°Fmii- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- EdimE · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Lazy seesaw
How it goes
A low note, a higher one, a gap, then the higher one again. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 520 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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 – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb
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Questions about If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)
What chords are in If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Edim – Fm (V7 – I – biio – ii) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) in?
Eb major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)?
Lazy seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.