Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
How to play Once I Had a Woman on piano
Written by Jimi Hendrix
- F# major
- 12/8
- 99 BPM
- I7–IV7–I7–V7 loop
- 1976
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Once I Had a Woman in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F#7 – B7 – F#7 – C#7
How it goes
Once I Had a Woman sits in F# major: F# is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F#7 is F#, A#, C# and E; B7 is B, D#, F# and A; C#7 is C#, E#, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F#7I7B7IV7F#7I7C#7V7- F#7F# · A# · C# · E
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- C#7C# · E# · G# · B
- 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 99 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: B – C# – F#
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BC#F#- BB · D# · F#
- C#C# · E# · G#
- F#F# · A# · C#
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Questions about Once I Had a Woman
What chords are in Once I Had a Woman?
The loop is F#7 – B7 – F#7 – C#7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7) in F# major, and the song ends on B – C# – F#.
What key is Once I Had a Woman in?
F# major, at about 99 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in Once I Had a Woman?
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 Once I Had a Woman 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.