Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play One Sweet Day on piano
By Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 66 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn One Sweet Day in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Db – Ab – Db
How it goes
One Sweet Day sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Db is Db, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIDbIVAbIDbIV- AbAb · C · Eb
- DbDb · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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 66 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: Db – Eb – Ab
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb- EbEb · G · Bb
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Questions about One Sweet Day
What chords are in One Sweet Day?
The loop is Ab – Db – Ab – Db (I – IV – I – IV) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is One Sweet Day in?
Ab major, at about 66 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in One Sweet Day?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is One Sweet Day 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.