Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play One By One on piano
By Kitty Wells & Red Foley
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 144 BPM
- I–IV–I–V7 loop
- 1954
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn One By One in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Ab – Eb – Bb7
How it goes
One By One sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIAbIVEbIBb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Lazy seesaw
How it goes
A low note, a higher one, a gap, then the higher one again. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 520 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 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: Eb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb
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Questions about One By One
What chords are in One By One?
The loop is Eb – Ab – Eb – Bb7 (I – IV – I – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is One By One in?
Eb major, at about 144 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in One By One?
Lazy seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is One By One 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.