Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
How to play Minute By Minute on piano
- C major
- 12/8
- 144 BPM
- 1978
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Minute By Minute in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – C – F – F#dim
How it goes
Minute By Minute sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; F#dim is F#, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiiCIFIVF#dim#iv°- DmD · F · A
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- F#dimF# · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Slow-dance heartbeat
How it goes
Four slow, deep beats under a swaying fifties ballad. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 134 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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 – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about Minute By Minute
What chords are in Minute By Minute?
The loop is Dm – C – F – F#dim (ii – I – IV – #ivo) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Minute By Minute in?
C major, at about 144 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Minute By Minute?
Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Minute By Minute 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.