Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play I'm A Believer on piano
By Smash Mouth
- G major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1966
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn I'm A Believer in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – C – G – C – G – C
How it goes
I'm A Believer sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVGICIVGICIVGICIV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 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 160 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 – C – G
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GCG
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Questions about I'm A Believer
What chords are in I'm A Believer?
The loop is G – C – G – C – G – C – G – C (I – IV – I – IV – I – IV – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on G – C – G.
What key is I'm A Believer in?
G major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in I'm A Believer?
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'm A Believer easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of I'm A Believer?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the repeating figure of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.