Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Long Time Gone on piano
Written by Darrell Scott
- D major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- IV–I–V–I loop
- 2002
- Easy
Learn Long Time Gone in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – A – D
Long Time Gone sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVDIAVDI- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Doorbell ding-dong
Two high, two low, in a lazy push rhythm: ding-ding, dong-dong. Musicians call it broken chord 8-8-5-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 472 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: D – A – D
The last chords are I – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DAD
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Questions about Long Time Gone
What chords are in Long Time Gone?
The loop is G – D – A – D (IV – I – V – I) in D major, and the song ends on D – A – D.
What key is Long Time Gone in?
D major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Long Time Gone?
Doorbell ding-dong: broken chord 8-8-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Long Time Gone 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.