Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play One Night Only on piano
Written by Henry Krieger
- Bb minor
- 2/2
- 130 BPM
- Easy
Learn One Night Only in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bbm – Gb – Db – Ebm
One Night Only sits in Bb minor: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Gb is Gb, Bb and Db; Db is Db, F and Ab; Ebm is Eb, Gb and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbmiGbVIDbIIIEbmiv- BbmBb · Db · F
- GbGb · Bb · Db
- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbmEb · Gb · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 130 BPM
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: Gb – Ab – Bbm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GbAbBbm- AbAb · C · Eb
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Questions about One Night Only
What chords are in One Night Only?
The loop is Bbm – Gb – Db – Ebm (i – bVI – bIII – iv) in Bb minor, and the song ends on Gb – Ab – Bbm.
What key is One Night Only in?
Bb minor, at about 130 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in One Night Only?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is One Night Only 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.