Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Only Once In My Life on piano
Written by Agustín Lara
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1998
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Only Once In My Life in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – Edim – Bb7
How it goes
Only Once In My Life sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Edim is E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIEdimbii°Bb7V7- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- EdimE · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Stride jumps
How it goes
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Late-knock chords
How it goes
One chord, a long wait, then a quick knock-knock at the end. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Only Once In My Life
What chords are in Only Once In My Life?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – Edim – Bb7 (V7 – I – biio – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is Only Once In My Life in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Only Once In My Life?
Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Only Once In My Life 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.