Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Love Takes Time on piano
By Mariah Carey
- B major
- 4/4
- 63 BPM
- 1990
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Love Takes Time in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – F# – D#7 – G#m
How it goes
Love Takes Time sits in B major: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; F# is F#, A# and C#; D#7 is D#, F##, A# and C#; G#m is G#, B and D#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIVF#VD#7III7G#mvi- EE · G# · B
- F#F# · A# · C#
- D#7D# · F## · A# · C#
- G#mG# · B · D#
- 2
Left hand: Leapfrog pulse
How it goes
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: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 63 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: B – E – B
How it goes
The last chords are I – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BEB- BB · D# · F#
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Questions about Love Takes Time
What chords are in Love Takes Time?
The loop is E – F# – D#7 – G#m (IV – V – III7 – vi) in B major, and the song ends on B – E – B.
What key is Love Takes Time in?
B major, at about 63 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Love Takes Time?
Leapfrog pulse: root bass · 1 · 2a · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Love Takes Time 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.