Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Let Me Down Slowly on piano
By Alec Benjamin
- E major
- 2/2
- 74 BPM
- 2018
- Easy
Learn Let Me Down Slowly in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G#m – A – C#m – G#m
Let Me Down Slowly sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G#m is G#, B and D#; A is A, C# and E; C#m is C#, E and G#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
G#miiiAIVC#mviG#miii- G#mG# · B · D#
- AA · C# · E
- C#mC# · E · G#
- 2
Left hand: Island seesaw
Low, high, low in the three-three-two island rhythm. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 723 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 74 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- BB · D# · F#
- EE · G# · B
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Questions about Let Me Down Slowly
What chords are in Let Me Down Slowly?
The loop is G#m – A – C#m – G#m (iii – IV – vi – iii) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Let Me Down Slowly in?
E major, at about 74 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Let Me Down Slowly?
Island seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Let Me Down Slowly 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.