Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play It Wasn't His Child on piano
By Skip Ewing
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 116 BPM
- V–vi–V–IV loop
- 1988
- Easy
Learn It Wasn't His Child in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Cm – Bb – Ab
It Wasn't His Child sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Cm is C, Eb and G; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbVCmviBbVAbIV- BbBb · D · F
- CmC · Eb · G
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 116 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about It Wasn't His Child
What chords are in It Wasn't His Child?
The loop is Bb – Cm – Bb – Ab (V – vi – V – IV) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is It Wasn't His Child in?
Eb major, at about 116 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in It Wasn't His Child?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is It Wasn't His Child 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.