Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Let Me Down on piano
By Jorja Smith
- F minor
- 4/4
- 60 BPM
- 2018
- Easy
Learn Let Me Down in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – C7 – Fm – Db – Ab – C7 – Fm – Db
Let Me Down sits in F minor: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Db is Db, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIIIC7V7FmiDbVIAbIIIC7V7FmiDbVI- AbAb · C · Eb
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- DbDb · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Leapfrog pulse
One long note, then a quick hop that leaps right into beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2a · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 153 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 60 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: Db – Eb – Fm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbFm- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about Let Me Down
What chords are in Let Me Down?
The loop is Ab – C7 – Fm – Db – Ab – C7 – Fm – Db (III – V7 – i – VI – III – V7 – i – VI) in F minor, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Fm.
What key is Let Me Down in?
F minor, at about 60 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Let Me Down?
Leapfrog pulse: root bass · 1 · 2a · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Let Me Down 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 Let Me Down?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.