Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play I’ll Stand By You on piano
- D major
- 4/4
- 68 BPM
- 1992
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I’ll Stand By You in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm7 – Am7 – D – Bm7
How it goes
I’ll Stand By You sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm7 is B, D, F# and A; Am7 is A, C, E and G; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bm7vi7Am7v7DIBm7vi7- Bm7B · D · F# · A
- Am7A · C · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
- AA · C# · E
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Questions about I’ll Stand By You
What chords are in I’ll Stand By You?
The loop is Bm7 – Am7 – D – Bm7 (vi7 – v7 – I – vi7) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is I’ll Stand By You in?
D major, at about 68 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I’ll Stand By You?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is I’ll Stand By You 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.
Can I hear the real melody of I’ll Stand By You?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.