Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play I’ll Never Smile Again on piano
Artist unknown
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- Easy
Learn I’ll Never Smile Again in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Bbdim – Bb – Bbdim
I’ll Never Smile Again sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Bbdim is Bb, Db and Fb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIBbdimi°BbIBbdimi°- BbBb · D · F
- BbdimBb · Db · Fb
- 2
Left hand: Boom-chick
Bass, chord, bass, chord: the bounce of ragtime and country. Musicians call it boom-chick (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 762 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 90 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about I’ll Never Smile Again
What chords are in I’ll Never Smile Again?
The loop is Bb – Bbdim – Bb – Bbdim (I – io – I – io) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is I’ll Never Smile Again in?
Bb major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I’ll Never Smile Again?
Boom-chick: boom-chick, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’ll Never Smile Again 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.