Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play So Long Self on piano
Written by Bart Millard, Barry Graul & others
- Ab major
- 4/4
- 144 BPM
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn So Long Self in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Ab – Bbm – Gb – Ab
How it goes
So Long Self sits in Ab major: Ab is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Gb is Gb, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIBbmiiGbbVIIAbI- AbAb · C · Eb
- BbmBb · Db · F
- GbGb · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Heartbeat octaves
How it goes
Low, high, low, high: a bouncing heartbeat. Musicians call it rocking octaves (rocking octaves), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 144 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: Db – Eb – Ab
How it goes
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
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Questions about So Long Self
What chords are in So Long Self?
The loop is Ab – Bbm – Gb – Ab (I – ii – bVII – I) in Ab major, and the song ends on Db – Eb – Ab.
What key is So Long Self in?
Ab major, at about 144 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in So Long Self?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is So Long Self 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.