Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play One Thing on piano
Written by Scott Anderson & James Black
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- 2003
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn One Thing in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Db – Ab – Ab – Db – Ab
How it goes
One Thing sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 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.
AbIDbIVAbIAbIDbIVAbI- 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: 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 72 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
Questions about One Thing
What chords are in One Thing?
The loop is Ab – Db – Ab – Ab – Db – Ab (I – IV – I – IV – I – IV) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is One Thing in?
Ab major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in One Thing?
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 Thing easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of One Thing?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.