Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Say My Name on piano
Written by Rodney Jerkins, Lashawn Daniels & others
- C minor
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1999
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Say My Name in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Cm – Ab – Fm – Bdim
How it goes
Say My Name sits in C minor: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Cm is C, Eb and G; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Fm is F, Ab and C; Bdim is B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CmiAbVIFmivBdimvii°- CmC · Eb · G
- AbAb · C · Eb
- FmF · Ab · C
- BdimB · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), 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 120 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 – Cm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbCm- BbBb · D · F
Play next
Questions about Say My Name
What chords are in Say My Name?
The loop is Cm – Ab – Fm – Bdim (i – bVI – iv – viio) in C minor, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Cm.
What key is Say My Name in?
C minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Say My Name?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Say My Name 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.