Piano chords · Blues & boogie

How to play I've Heard That Song Before on piano

By Harry James

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn I've Heard That Song Before in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Bb – Bb – Am7 – D7 – D7
I've Heard That Song Before sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Am7 is A, C, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIBbIAm7vii7D7III7D7III7
- BbBb · D · F
- Am7A · C · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
2
Left hand: Jazz walk
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Jazz walkWalking bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
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.
Wait-a-beat chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 100 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: Bb – Ebm – Bb
The last chords are I – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbEbmBb
- EbmEb · Gb · Bb

What chords are in I've Heard That Song Before?

The loop is Bb – Bb – Am7 – D7 – D7 (I – vii7 – III7 – I – vii7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Bb – Ebm – Bb.

What key is I've Heard That Song Before in?

Bb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in I've Heard That Song Before?

Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is I've Heard That Song Before easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of I've Heard That Song Before?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part 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.