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Stand By Me: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Ben E. King
- F major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1961
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Stand By Me written out as piano music: the I – V – I – vi – V – vi – vi7 loop in F major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays island pulse (root bass · tresillo 3-3-2) and the right hand hide-and-seek chords.
Stand By Me chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in F 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 | F | I | F A C |
| 1 | C | V | C E G |
| 2 | F | I | F A C |
| 3 | Dm | vi | D F A |
| 3 | C | V | C E G |
| 4 | Dm | vi | D F A |
| 4 | Dm7 | vi7 | D F A C |
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: island pulse (root bass · tresillo 3-3-2) in the left hand and hide-and-seek chords in the right, over the F – C – F – Dm – C – Dm – Dm7 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 Stand By Me
Does the sheet music for Stand By Me 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 Stand By Me?
The loop is F – C – F – Dm – C – Dm – Dm7 (I – V – I – vi – V – vi – vi7) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Stand By Me in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Stand By Me?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Stand By Me easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 7 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Stand By Me?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.