Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Smile on piano
- A major
- 4/4
- 104 BPM
- Easy
Learn Smile in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F# – E – A – F#
Smile sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F# is F#, A# and C#; E is E, G# and B; A is A, C# and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F#VIEVAIF#VI- F#F# · A# · C#
- EE · G# · B
- AA · C# · E
- 2
Left hand: Late-hop footsteps
Steady low-high steps with one quick extra hop after beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 659 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Tiptoe chords
One firm chord, then three tiptoe chords between the beats. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 104 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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Smile
What chords are in Smile?
The loop is F# – E – A – F# (VI5 – V5 – I5 – VI5) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Smile in?
A major, at about 104 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Smile?
Late-hop footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Smile 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.