Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Nightingale on piano
Written by Demi Lovato, Felicia Barton & others
- A major
- 4/4
- 71 BPM
- IV–V–vi–IV loop
- 2013
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Nightingale in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – E – F#m – D
How it goes
Nightingale sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; E is E, G# and B; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIVEVF#mviDIV- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
- F#mF# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Pausing footsteps
How it goes
Three even steps, then a quiet beat to breathe. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
How it goes
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 71 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: D – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Nightingale
What chords are in Nightingale?
The loop is D – E – F#m – D (IV – V – vi – IV) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Nightingale in?
A major, at about 71 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Nightingale?
Pausing footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Nightingale 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.