Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
Smells Like Teen Spirit: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Nirvana
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1991
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Smells Like Teen Spirit written out as piano music: the vi – ii – I – IV – vi – ii – I – IV loop in Ab major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays walking roots (root bass · quarters) and the right hand pop stabs.
Smells Like Teen Spirit chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Ab major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fm | vi | F Ab C |
| 1 | Bbm | ii | Bb Db F |
| 2 | Ab | I | Ab C Eb |
| 2 | Db | IV | Db F Ab |
| 3 | Fm | vi | F Ab C |
| 3 | Bbm | ii | Bb Db F |
| 4 | Ab | I | Ab C Eb |
| 4 | Db | IV | Db F Ab |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: walking roots (root bass · quarters) in the left hand and pop stabs in the right, over the Fm – Bbm – Ab – Db – Fm – Bbm – Ab – Db chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Smells Like Teen Spirit
Does the sheet music for Smells Like Teen Spirit have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Smells Like Teen Spirit?
The loop is Fm – Bbm – Ab – Db – Fm – Bbm – Ab – Db (vi – ii – I – IV – vi – ii – I – IV) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is Smells Like Teen Spirit in?
Ab major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Walking roots: root bass · quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Smells Like Teen Spirit easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.