Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play I’ll Be Gone on piano
By Spectrum
- D major
- 4/4
- 148 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- Easy
Learn I’ll Be Gone in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – D – G
I’ll Be Gone sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVDIGIV- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Bossa seesaw
Low-low, high-high in a laid-back Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 428 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 148 BPM
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: D – G – D
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DGD
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Questions about I’ll Be Gone
What chords are in I’ll Be Gone?
The loop is D – G – D – G (I – IV – I – IV) in D major, and the song ends on D – G – D.
What key is I’ll Be Gone in?
D major, at about 148 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I’ll Be Gone?
Bossa seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’ll Be Gone 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.