Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Michelle on piano
By The Beatles
- Ab major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1965
- Easy
Learn Michelle in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Cm – Bbm7 – Fm – Eb – Dm – Db7
Michelle sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 7 chords: F is F, A and C; Cm is C, Eb and G; Bbm7 is Bb, Db, F and Ab; Fm is F, Ab and C; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Dm is D, F and A; Db7 is Db, F, Ab and Cb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FVICmiiiBbm7ii7FmviEbVDm#ivDb7IV7- FF · A · C
- CmC · Eb · G
- Bbm7Bb · Db · F · Ab
- FmF · Ab · C
- EbEb · G · Bb
- DmD · F · A
- Db7Db · F · Ab · Cb
- 2
Left hand: Bluesy shrug
A long root, then down and back up to a bluesy note. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-7 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 73 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
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 120 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 – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- DbDb · F · Ab
- AbAb · C · Eb
Play next
Questions about Michelle
What chords are in Michelle?
The loop is F – Cm – Bbm7 – Fm – Eb – Dm – Db7 (VI – iii – ii7 – vi – V – #iv – IV7) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Michelle in?
Ab major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Michelle?
Bluesy shrug: broken chord 8-5-7, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Michelle easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Michelle?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 8 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.