Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Once I Had A Sweetheart on piano
Written by Southern Appalachian Folksong
- A minor
- 2/2
- 80 BPM
- i–iv–i–iv loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Once I Had A Sweetheart in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – Dm – Am – Dm
How it goes
Once I Had A Sweetheart sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmiDmivAmiDmiv- AmA · C · E
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 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 80 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 – Am
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Once I Had A Sweetheart
What chords are in Once I Had A Sweetheart?
The loop is Am – Dm – Am – Dm (i – iv – i – iv) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Once I Had A Sweetheart in?
A minor, at about 80 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Once I Had A Sweetheart?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Once I Had A Sweetheart 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.