Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Life Is Wonderful on piano
Written by Jason Mraz
- A minor
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 2005
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Life Is Wonderful in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – G – Am – Dm
How it goes
Life Is Wonderful sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; Am is A, C and E; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIIIGVIIAmiDmiv- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- AmA · C · E
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Tumbling heartbeat
How it goes
Quick notes tumble forward from the start and land on beat 4. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 112 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Dewdrop twinkle
How it goes
Two low, close notes twinkling up and back like morning dew. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 BPM
How it goes
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: F – G – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
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Questions about Life Is Wonderful
What chords are in Life Is Wonderful?
The loop is C – G – Am – Dm (bIII – bVII – i – iv) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Life Is Wonderful in?
A minor, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Life Is Wonderful?
Tumbling heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 1a · 2& · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Life Is Wonderful easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.