Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out on piano
By Eric Clapton
- C major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – E7 – A7 – Dm
How it goes
Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; E7 is E, G#, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIE7III7A7VI7Dmii- CC · E · G
- E7E · G# · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
How it goes
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hand-clap chords
How it goes
Rests on beat 1, then clap-clap on 2 and one more clap on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
What chords are in Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out?
The loop is C – E7 – A7 – Dm (I – III7 – VI7 – ii) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out in?
C major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out 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.