Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Part Time Lover on piano
Written by Stevie Wonder
- Bb minor
- 4/4
- 140 BPM
- 1985
- Easy
Learn Part Time Lover in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ebm – Fm – Ab – Bbm
Part Time Lover sits in Bb minor: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ebm is Eb, Gb and Bb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbmivFmvAbVIIBbmi- EbmEb · Gb · Bb
- FmF · Ab · C
- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbmBb · Db · F
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 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.
- 4
Both hands at 140 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: Gb – Ab – Bbm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GbAbBbm- GbGb · Bb · Db
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Questions about Part Time Lover
What chords are in Part Time Lover?
The loop is Ebm – Fm – Ab – Bbm (iv – v – bVII – i) in Bb minor, and the song ends on Gb – Ab – Bbm.
What key is Part Time Lover in?
Bb minor, at about 140 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Part Time Lover?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Part Time Lover 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.