Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Lay Me Down on piano
Written by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman & others
- C major
- 4/4
- 128 BPM
- 2012
- Easy
Learn Lay Me Down in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – C – G – Am7 – G
Lay Me Down sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: F is F, A and C; C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; Am7 is A, C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIVCIGVAm7vi7GV- FF · A · C
- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- Am7A · C · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Double-step climb
Two beats on the root, two on the next chord note up: simple and steady. Musicians call it broken chord 1-1-3-3 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 284 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 128 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: Am – G – C
The last chords are vi – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmGC- AmA · C · E
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Questions about Lay Me Down
What chords are in Lay Me Down?
The loop is F – C – G – Am7 – G (IV – I – V – vi7 – V) in C major, and the song ends on Am – G – C.
What key is Lay Me Down in?
C major, at about 128 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Lay Me Down?
Double-step climb: broken chord 1-1-3-3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Lay Me Down 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 Lay Me Down?
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.