Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Leave Your Lover on piano
By Sam Smith
- E major
- 4/4
- 70 BPM
- 2014
- Easy
Learn Leave Your Lover in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – B – A – F#m
Leave Your Lover sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; B is B, D# and F#; A is A, C# and E; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIBVAIVF#mii- EE · G# · B
- BB · D# · F#
- AA · C# · E
- F#mF# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Rush-and-step pulse
Three quick notes tumble out, a pause, then one high step on beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 157 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Swing push
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 70 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: A – B – E
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE
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Questions about Leave Your Lover
What chords are in Leave Your Lover?
The loop is E – B – A – F#m (I – V – IV – ii) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Leave Your Lover in?
E major, at about 70 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Leave Your Lover?
Rush-and-step pulse: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Leave Your Lover 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.