Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Only Jesus on piano
Written by Matthew West, Bernie Herms & others
- D major
- 4/4
- 122 BPM
- 2017
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Only Jesus in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – Dsus4 – Bm
How it goes
Only Jesus sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Dsus4 is D, G and A; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVDIDsus4Isus4Bmvi- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- Dsus4D · G · A
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Bumblebee buzz
How it goes
Two low notes buzz back and forth on quick, even beats. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3 (broken chord), a medium pattern heard in 160 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Heartbeat chords
How it goes
Long, short, long: chords on the pop heartbeat, then a rest. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 122 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: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Only Jesus
What chords are in Only Jesus?
The loop is G – D – Dsus4 – Bm (IV – I – Isus – vi) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Only Jesus in?
D major, at about 122 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Only Jesus?
Bumblebee buzz: broken chord 1-3, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Only Jesus easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.