How to play Paint It, Black on piano

Learn Paint It, Black in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: C7 – Fm – C7 – Fm
Paint It, Black sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7III7FmviC7III7Fmvi
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
32 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
Seesaw bassRoot–fifth bass · Blues and boogie-woogieLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Wait-a-beat chordsBlock chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 150 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: Db – Eb – Ab
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DbEbAb
- DbDb · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb

What chords are in Paint It, Black?

The loop is C7 – Fm – C7 – Fm (III7 – vi – III7 – vi) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.

What key is Paint It, Black in?

Ab major, at about 150 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Paint It, Black?

Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Paint It, Black 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.